Should councillors show leadership on MP deselections?

There is a strong mood that in the worst cases of MPs abusing their expenses it is not enough to repay, nor is an apology. They should go. Withdrawing the whip from them would be the straightforward answer. As would them agreeing to stand down. But should grassroots activists be just sitting back and waiting? Should they not be putting down the rule book to see about mounting deselections.

It seems to me that councillors could be suitable people to get the process going where it is needed. We have the status, the confidence, the experience of procedural wrangling. It might all be terribly awkward if they have a rogue MP who is very polite at wine and cheese parties. But there is a duty to do the right thing and a responsibility to the Conservative Party as a whole. There is also a question of their own interests. If they seek to retain an MP involved in unacceptable conduct might not the councillors be dragged down with him.

One obvious case for deselection is Andrew Mackay whose Bracknell seat is mostly covered by Bracknell Forest Council which has 39 Conservative councillors mostly in the Bracknell seat. What are they doing about it? Bracknell also has three wards under Wokingham Council.

> Yesterday's ToryDiary: Two-thirds of Conservative members say Andrew MacKay should cease to be Tory MP