A TORY MP may face suspension after endorsing a Reform candidate for the next General Election.

Tory MP Nick Fletcher, who represents Don Valley, has told voters in Ashfield that they should vote for Reform candidate Lee Anderson at the next Westminster election.

Fletcher’s comments endorsing his former Tory colleague came after Anderson posted on Facebook saying they would “always be friends” – along with other Conservative MPs Ben Bradley, Brendan Clarke-Smith, and Marco Longhi.

Anderson added he “would not campaign against them” because “friendship means more to me”.

Responding on both Facebook and Twitter/X, Fletcher urged people to vote for Anderson, claiming they “both need to be back in Westminster”.

He wrote: “I so wish Lee Anderson MP had remained with the Conservatives. However having lost the whip it would mean the Conservative Party would choose someone other than Lee to fight the election in Ashfield.

“I can understand in those circumstances why he joined Reform. Ashfield has its greatest champion and I hope they appreciate what he has done for his home town and his country at the next election.

“I hope my constituents see that a vote for me in Doncaster is also the right thing to do.”

Historically, endorsing another party has seen Tory politicians lose the party whip.

In 2019, Conservative peer Michael Heseltine was suspended for backing the LibDems, with a Tory spokesperson saying that endorsing another party was "not compatible with taking the Tory whip".

Responding to Fletcher’s post, Labour councillor John Haywood said: “This is a massive challenge to Rishi Sunak's authority.

“If this were Labour he'd be expelled."

As Fletcher’s post got more attention, he later added: “For the avoidance of any doubt of course I want to see a Conservative majority Government returned at the next election with as many Conservative MPs as possible.

“Lee is a personal friend but we can’t risk the damage a Labour government would do to our country. Just look at what the Labour Council has done to Doncaster.”

Anderson quit the Conservative party after he lost the whip for claiming “Islamists have got control” of London mayor Sadiq Khan.

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Reform UK said it respects Anderson’s personal decision but the party will continue with its election campaigns in the seats where his "friends" are.

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Lee Anderson made it clear from the day he joined Reform UK that he would not personally campaign against a handful of his close friends.

"The party respect this decision and it shows Lee’s loyalty to his friends, which goes beyond politics.

"Reform will be standing in these constituencies and will be fighting the Conservatives across the board in England, Wales and Scotland.

"The Tories have betrayed the country by failing to control our borders and allowing our public services to crumble. We will punish them at the General Election."

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “Nick has made clear he wants to see as many conservatives as possible elected. A vote for Reform is a vote to let Keir Starmer into No 10."