Former Tory MP Jo Gideon has said that she is "very sad this is the end" after she revealed that she has faced "persistent bullying" in the Tory Party .
Jo Gideon, who represented Stoke-on-Trent Central for the Conservatives issued a damning statement attacking her own party on Friday afternoon.
Gideon said she had decided not to run for re-election due to "persistent bullying" from within the Tory Party – claiming there was a "toxic culture" both locally and at Westminster.
Speaking to GB News she said: "I took the decision that I would make a dignified exit rather than being humiliated, having been treated so badly over the three and a half years before the reselection and, out of loyalty to the party.
"I was deliberately vague about the reason because I thought that they would go on to sort it out. They didn't. I feel that now it is the time that I have to set the record straight because I don't want I don't want to leave Stoke on Trent with people thinking that I chose to go.
"I would have loved to have stood again to be their MP for the next term. I would have fought a good fight."
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She added that she "didn't want to go into detail" about the sorts of bullying she was subjected to but "it is painful."
"I got to the stage where I literally had no support and no funding to do anything. Nobody talked to me. I can give you an indication since I announced that I wasn't standing, nobody from the local federation has spoken to me. It's been over well over a year."
In her 800-word statement posted to social media, Jo said: "I faced persistent bullying from the local Conservative Federation officers since 2019, which took a toll on my physical and mental health. I chose to stand down with dignity rather than face an unjust and well-rumoured deselection process.
"At the time, I did not publicly expose what I was being subjected to out of loyalty to the party and a belief that the issue would be addressed internally. However, despite the central office and the whips being made aware, no meaningful action was taken.
"Today, I feel compelled to set the record straight and expose the unethical practices that have become pervasive within the party."
"Politics should be about serving the public, not a ruthless game of who can climb the greasy pole the fastest. Professionalism, integrity, and ethics should be at the core of our political system."
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "We thank Jo Gideon for the fantastic work she did as the MP for Stoke Central and wish her well for the future.
"Throughout the four years Jo has been an MP she has brought in millions in investment and been a proud champion of her constituents in Westminster.
"We have a wide range of candidates standing at this election from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life."
