Ten ex-Tory rebels set to have the whip restored by Boris Johnson
Ten of the 21 expelled ex-Tory rebel MPs have had the whip restored by Boris Johnson, including Winston Churchill’s grandson Nicholas Soames.
Read more: Tory rebels vote with Labour to help prevent a no-deal Brexit
Soames, Alistair Burt, Caroline Nokes, Greg Clark, Ed Vaizey, Margot James, Stephen Hammond, Steve Brine, Richard Harrington and Richard Benyon have all been welcomed back into the Conservative party fold, according to Newsnight political editor Nicholas Watt.
The group reportedly met with the prime minister in his House of Commons office this afternoon to restore the whip to the group.
All 10 of the MPs voted to pass Johnson’s Withdrawal Bill last week and will be expected to vote with the government to pass its Brexit deal if they stand for re-election and win back their seats.
The MPs had the party whip removed last month after voting with opposition parties to block a no-deal Brexit via the so-called Benn act.
Other prominent ex-Tories, such as former home secretary Amber Rudd and chancellors Phillip Hammond and Ken Clarke did not have the whip restored.