Conservative bosses bar Lord Frost from standing as MP

Lord Frost has been barred from standing as a Tory candidate in the general election.

The former Brexit negotiator, who is on the Right of the party, had been willing to resign from the House of Lords to fight for a place in the Commons.

But it is understood that Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) has refused to put him on a list of approved candidates for the July 4 election.

As a result, he has been told by Tory bosses that he cannot apply to stand in any of the 93 seats for which the party’s candidate has not yet been selected.

Lord Frost was a leading supporter of Boris Johnson and has been a vocal critic of the direction the Conservatives have taken under Rishi Sunak’s leadership.

He is a net zero sceptic who has also urged the Prime Minister to take a more traditionally Right-wing approach to winning back disillusioned voters.

His exclusion from the candidates list is likely to anger MPs on the eurosceptic wing of the party, given his leading role in delivering the Brexit deal.

In recent months, he has also proved a hit with grassroots members as he has toured local associations talking up traditional Conservative values.

Mr Sunak insisted on Friday that he had not barred Lord Frost from standing for the party.

He told GB News: “David Frost has not been blocked from standing as a candidate at the election in July. That is just not right.

“The process only opened on Wednesday night and it takes time for the process to conclude for candidates selection. It is not true to say he has been blocked.”

The Conservative Party has been contacted for comment.