Jo Gideon accuses Conservative Party of 'bullying' in toxic Tories' parting shot

Former Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Jo Gideon has launched a withering attack on her party. Ms Gideon is not contesting the seat she won in 2019 - after expecting to be deselected.

But Ms Gideon has now accused the Conservative Party of allowing 'discrimination, bullying and unethical practices to fester'. She has accused members of her local Conservative Federation of bullying.

One particular incident included when Ms Gideon was last year cropped out of a photograph of Stoke-on-Trent political leaders in Downing Street on a Conservative Party promotional leaflet.

In a 25-post thread on X, Ms Gideon wrote: “Sadly, my political journey has been overshadowed by a persistent lack of support and a toxic culture from the Party, both at Westminster and locally. People often said to me, ‘There needs to be more people like you at Westminster – approachable, hardworking constituency MPs with experience of the real world’. While I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, the opposite is happening.

READ: General Election 2024: Six candidates wanting your vote in Stoke-on-Trent North - Tory Jonathan Gullis is hoping to retain his Stoke-on-Trent North seat

READ: General Election 2024: Who's standing in Staffordshire's nine constituencies - The full list of candidates in every constituency can now be revealed

"I have faced persistent bullying from the local Conservative Federation officers since 2019, which took a toll on my physical and mental health. I chose to stand down with dignity rather than face an unjust and well-rumoured deselection process. At the time, I did not publicly expose what I was being subjected to out of loyalty to the Party and a belief that the issue would be addressed internally. However, despite Central Office and the Whips being made aware, no meaningful action was taken.

“Today, I feel compelled to set the record straight and expose the unethical practices that have become pervasive within the party. Politics should be about serving the public, not a ruthless game of who can climb the greasy pole the fastest. Professionalism, integrity, and ethics should be at the core of our political system.

“If the Conservative Party finds itself in opposition, I hope they will use the opportunity to take a long, hard look at how they have allowed discrimination, bullying, and unethical practices to fester. As Conservatives, we believe in judging individuals based on their merits, skills, and dedication to public service. It is antithetical to our values to allow discrimination, whether based on age, gender, health or any other personal characteristic, to influence the treatment and deselection of our MPs.”

The Conservative Party has praised Ms Gideon's achievements as an MP.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “We thank Jo Gideon for the fantastic work she did as the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central and wish her well for the future. Throughout the four years Jo has been an MP she has brought in millions of pounds of investment and been a proud champion of her constituents in Westminster."

The spokesman added: "We have a wide range of candidates standing at this election from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life.”

If you're on the lookout for local news, we have you covered with our FREE email newsletter - sign up in the box at the top of this story or click here.