A former minister has ruled out the prospect of the Conservative Party winning the general election next week.
James Heappey, who served armed forces minister under Rishi Sunak, said it was “plain to see” that there will not be a Conservative government after 4 July.
Heappey quit his post in the Ministry of Defence in March, after concluding it was “time to step away from politics.”
He is one of many Conservative MPs and former ministers not standing for re-election on 4 July.
Minister James Heappey to quit at next election as Conservative MP exodus climbs to 62
Asked for his assessment of Rishi Sunak’s electoral prospects, Heappey told GB News: “There won’t be a Conservative government elected next week, that is plain to see.
“And so I think that what people have got to consider is whether or not it is healthy for our democracy if parliament were to become increasingly just irrelevant, which is what it would become if the majority was so vast.
“Heck, there have been people on the left who were complaining that an 80 seat majority gave Boris Johnson untrammelled power. Well, they ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Heappey’s assessment comes amid the general election betting scandal, which the former minister said does politics as a whole a “massive disservice.”
***Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for all the latest election news and analysis.***
He said “the whole thing sucks” and “plays to the public’s perception of politicians generally”
“I think all it does is just creates that sort of weary sigh as people look at each other in the coffee queue in the morning, and does politics on the whole a massive disservice”, he added.
On Tuesday, the Conservative Party withdrew its support for Craig Williams and Laura Saunders amid a row over bets placed on the date of the general election.
The prime minister had insisted he needed to wait until the Gambling Commission’s inquiry had concluded to take any action but had faced pressure to suspend Williams and Saunders, the two Tory candidates.
Williams, who served as Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary, is seeking re-election in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr. He admitted last week he “put a flutter” on a July poll three days before the prime minister called the election.
Saunders is standing in Bristol North West. Her husband Tony Lee was the Conservative director of campaigning but has now taken a “leave of absence” while he is also investigated.
It also emerged on Tuesday that Russell George, a Conservative member of the Senedd, faces a probe, and has stepped back from the Welsh shadow cabinet as that is conducted.
Meanwhile, the Scotland secretary, Alister Jack, is also under fire after it was reported he claimed to have won more than £2,000 betting on the date of the election.
Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for all the latest election news and analysis.
