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Tory aides dropped from election list after campaigning row Theresa May aides 'dropped from election list' amid campaign row
(about 5 hours later)
The Conservative Party has prevented two of the home secretary's special advisers from standing for Parliament after they failed to campaign in the Rochester and Strood by-election. The Conservatives have suspended two of Theresa May's aides from a list of 2015 general election candidates amid a row.
It is thought Nick Timothy and Stephen Parkinson had been worried they would be in breach of their code of conduct. Nick Timothy and Stephen Parkinson were suspended from the party's candidates list on the grounds that they did not campaign in the Rochester by-election.
But they were told their concerns over the Number 10 orders were unfounded. But they said they had believed campaigning would have breached the special advisers' code of conduct.
A Tory source rejected suggestions the move was a sign of tension between the home secretary and Downing Street. A Tory source denied claims their suspension showed tension between the home secretary and Downing Street.
The source added that Theresa May's aides were among several potential candidates suspended from the parliamentary candidates list for next May's general election for not campaigning and other cases were being considered. The source added that Mrs May's aides were among several potential candidates suspended from the parliamentary candidates list for next May's general election for not campaigning and other cases were being considered.
The rift was made public after the ConservativeHome website published a letter from Mr Timothy to the chairman of the Aldridge Brownhills constituency association in the West Midlands, complaining that the party had wrongly told him he had withdrawn from a selection process. The rift was made public in an exchange of letters published by the ConservativeHome website.
Would-be Conservative MPs need to be on the approved candidates list to be eligible for selection. Mr Timothy, the home secretary's chief of staff, was on the candidates list for the West Midlands seat of Aldridge Brownhills.
'Not inconsistent' It is understood that Conservative Party officials wrongly told the constituency association that he had withdrawn from the list. In fact. he had been suspended on the grounds that he "did not participate in telephone canvassing during the Rochester by-election campaign".
'Disproportionate'
Mr Timothy wrote to the chair of the association insisting that he had not withdrawn from the selection voluntarily and challenging the grounds for his suspension.
He had not taken part in canvassing, he wrote, because he believed himself bound by the code of conduct preventing special advisers from direct political campaigning.
According to ConservativeHome, he added: "Even if the reason to suspend me from the list was valid, it would have been entirely disproportionate, because I have devoted most of my adult life to the Conservative Party, as a volunteer and officer and as a professional. I have been a branch chairman and a local council candidate, and I have canvassed in more election campaigns than I can remember."
Last month's by-election in Rochester and Strood was triggered by Tory MP Mark Reckless's defection to UKIP.Last month's by-election in Rochester and Strood was triggered by Tory MP Mark Reckless's defection to UKIP.
Several weeks of frantic campaigning took place with senior Tories, including Prime Minister David Cameron and William Hague, visiting the Kent constituency. But Mr Reckless defeated the Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst in the by-election. The Conservatives mounted a large-scale campaign with senior figures including David Cameron and William Hague visiting the Kent constituency and ministers and MPs under orders to visit the constituency more than once.
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said Conservative special advisers had been told by Downing Street to take part in the campaign and were reassured that they were allowed to do so under civil service rules. Special advisers were told to take part and reassured they were allowed to volunteer for telephone canvassing under civil service rules.
However, a Whitehall source said the special advisers feared their opponents would use any campaigning as an opportunity to make a formal complain and try to force them from their jobs. Code of conduct
But a Whitehall source told the BBC that many advisers were concerned, fearing opponents would use any campaigning as an opportunity to make a formal complaint and try to force them from their jobs.
The code of conduct says special advisers who want to take part in election campaigns must first resign.The code of conduct says special advisers who want to take part in election campaigns must first resign.
A Tory source said advice sought before the Newark by-election in the summer made clear advisers would be able to take part in telephone canvassing in their own time. In a statement, a Cabinet Office spokesman said "back office" campaign work would not breach the special advisers code.
The source said the advice of the director general of propriety and ethics at the Cabinet Office - Sue Gray - was sought. The spokesman said: "Special advisers have always been able in their own time and outside of office hours to take part in back office activities. This is not inconsistent with the code. "
It is understood one special adviser, concerned that earlier advice forbade any canvassing, emailed Ms Gray several times for confirmation without receiving a response.
In a statement a Cabinet Office spokesman said "back office" campaign work would not breach the special advisers code.
The spokesman said: "Special advisers have always been able in their own time and outside of office hours to take part in back office activities. This is not inconsistent with the code. This activity was done in an individual's own time and outside of office hours.
"No official resources were involved and this approach was agreed with the Cabinet Office."
The row comes after Theresa May's special adviser Fiona Cunningham stood down in June after she was found by a Downing Street inquiry to have been the source of a negative briefing against the then Education Secretary Michael Gove.The row comes after Theresa May's special adviser Fiona Cunningham stood down in June after she was found by a Downing Street inquiry to have been the source of a negative briefing against the then Education Secretary Michael Gove.