British Prime Minister David Cameron riled up Tories’ grassroots members after asking lawmakers to ignore their local party’s views on the upcoming European Union membership referendum.
The local conservative party chiefs are outraged with Cameron’s instruction to MPs that their vote in the referendum should not be grounded on what their constituency association might say, but to do what they consider best for Britain.
The comments made by the British PM irritated some party members, who wrote a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, urging the prime minister to “refrain from showing any disrespect to the loyal servants who helped him win a majority government.”
The letter, signed by 44 chairmen, executives, former chairmen and Tory activists — who represent 43 local party associations across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — says “the goodwill of the prime minister committing to a referendum has been undermined” because of his remarks on how to vote.
“It is deeply regrettable that the prime minister dismisses the very people who helped secure his victory, and he should remember that no prime minister has a divine right to rule,” read the letter.