Boris Johnson’s chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, has confirmed his bid to become an MP, with his name placed on the list of Conservative candidates for the next general election.
Lord Frost had earlier suggested he was ready to drop his peerage in hope of securing a Commons seat, but only if he could secure a safe constituency.
On Sunday he confirmed Tory officials had accepted his bid to join the party’s candidate list, but said he is not linked to a specific seat.
He said in a statement: “I am grateful to the party authorities for accepting my application as a potential Conservative candidate for the House of Commons, the centre of our national political life.
“I have not yet applied for any seat and am considering my next steps. Meanwhile I look forward to campaigning for the party and for Conservative principles in the months to come.”
He was formerly an ally of Johnson before he quit as a minister in December 2021, having made clear his frustrations about tax rises and the government’s “plan B” Covid policy to reintroduce some mandatory measures last winter.
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According to the Telegraph, Frost is in contention for a safe Tory seat and could possibly replace outgoing MP Pauline Latham as the candidate in Mid Derbyshire.
If successful, he would be required to give up his seat in the Lords in exchange for a place in the Commons – the first person to do so since a rule change to allow such a move in 2014.
The 58-year-old, understood to be popular with the right of the party, was appointed to the Lords in 2020.
He is among the speakers due to address the National Conservatism Conference later this week, where several high-profile ministers and Tory MPs will gather in the aftermath of a difficult set of English local elections.
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