Theresa May’s bid for Nato secretary general job sparks fears of by-election in Maidenhead

Theresa May’s bid for Nato secretary general job sparks fears of by-election in Maidenhead as Tory insiders admit they are ‘very worried’ of a repeat of the loss in Chesham and Amersham

  • Talk of the ex-PM going for job of Nato secretary general has prompted concerns
  • They fear voters in Maidenhead may replicate loss in Chesham and Amersham
  • In 2019 Mrs Mry won the seat with 18,000 majority – down from 26,457 in 2017

Maidenhead could be the next big battleground as Tory insiders say they are ‘very worried’ about a by-election in Theresa May’s seat.

Talk of the former PM going for the job of Nato secretary general has prompted concerns that voters in her constituency could replicate the party’s painful loss in Chesham and Amersham.

The Maidenhead seat is ‘incredibly similar’ to Chesham and Amersham, sources said, with strong views over planning reforms, and the Lib Dems trailing the Tories in second.

Maidenhead could be the next big battleground as Tory insiders say they are ‘very worried’ about a by-election in Theresa May’s seat

In 2019 Mrs May won the seat with an 18,000 majority – down from 26,457 in 2017 – while the Lib Dems’ share grew by 13 percentage points.

But the swing in Chesham and Amersham – from a 16,223 Conservative majority to an 8,028 Lib Dem one – has led to concerns at Tory HQ.

Earlier this month Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave his backing to Mrs May, saying she would be an ‘excellent candidate’ to head Nato.

However, one Tory MP last night said the threat of a risky by-election meant the Government would be unlikely to support her candidacy.

Earlier this month Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave his backing to Mrs May, saying she would be an 'excellent candidate' to head Nato

Earlier this month Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave his backing to Mrs May, saying she would be an ‘excellent candidate’ to head Nato