This is one of the two letters from ex-Chairs of the Isle of Wight Conservative Association – this one from Denise Grannum MBE, Trustee and Past Chairman; and Edward Giles MBE, Trustee and Past Chairman.
The language of the letter is direct, with the lower sections (starred below) actually directly calling for Andrew Turner to tender his resignation, as it is, “no longer in the interests of the Conservative Party for you to continue as our candidate.”
It goes as far as asking him to call off Monday’s Press Conference that Chris Whitehouse has arranged, saying “it would not be in the interest of you or the Party on the Island for the launch of your campaign priorities to take place on Monday 12th January as currently proposed.”
Full letter
As you would expect from OnTheWight, we provide to you the full letter (below), so you can understand the full context of the letter.
- “culmination of the failure of you and Carole Dennett over many years to engage constructively with the Association and many of its core supports.”
- “we have a Conservative candidate that is widely perceived as discredited”
- “in danger of losing what should be a safe seat for the Party.”
- “The Association is split irrevocably and more and more members see you as a liability in the forthcoming campaign.”
- “Your refusal to answer quite basic questions … has left the clear impression that you have something to hide.”
- “demonstrated your inability to deal with difficult issues when pressed to do so.”
- “As you will appreciate, during the election campaign you will be up against articulate candidates from other parties and your performance will be compare with their.”
- “It is an open secret that without Carole to assist you in meetings and prepare statement and press releases you would find it extremely difficult to continue as the MP.”
- “you are in thrall to Carole and are totally dominated by her.”
- “Mr Finney appears to have an ongoing role as your transport adviser and this gives rise to questions about your judgement.”
- * “None of this gives either the Party or the public at large the impression that you are genuinely in charge of your work as the Island’s MP.”
- * “We are sorry to say we believe that we have now reached the stage where the Association cannot put you forward as a credible candidate for the Conservative cause.”
- * “we call on you to acknowledge that it is no longer in the interests of the Conservative Party for you to continue as our candidate and to tender you resignation.”
- “It will also relieve you of the stress of a strenuous campaign.”
- * “We sincerely hope you will reflect on this and withdraw as the candidate.”
- “If you are not willing to do so we shall ask the Association Chairman to place this issue on the agenda for consideration at the Executive Council meeting on Friday 23rd January.”
- * “Furthermore, we consider it would not be in the interests of you or the Party on the Island for the launch of your campaign priorities to take place on Monday 12th January as currently proposed.”
The full letter
See also round-up article Are the calls for Andrew Turner to go, now too loud to ignore?
