Tory leadership race: Conservatives flooded with 'ballot papers' demanding fresh Brexit vote

'If the Conservative Party won’t let a Final Say referendum come to the people, the people have to make the case directly to the Conservative Party'

The Conservatives are being flooded with leadership ‘ballot papers’ rejecting Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt – and demanding a fresh Brexit referendum instead.

The stunt has been organised by the People’s Vote campaign, in protest at Britain’s next prime minister being chosen by “just 0.25 per cent of the population” who are Tory party members.

The organisation said hundreds of supporters had already posted ‘ballot papers’ to Brandon Lewis, the Conservative chairman, to show their “disgust at the freezing out of the people”.

They pose the question ‘Who do you want to decide Britain’s Brexit future?’, under the heading ‘Conservative Party Leadership Election’.

But, instead of offering a choice between Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt, there are two options: ‘Just 160,000 Conservative Party Members’ – or ‘Everyone - with a People’s Vote’.

“If the Conservative Party won’t let a Final Say referendum come to the people, the people have to make the case directly to the Conservative Party,” said Ian Murray, a Labour People’s Vote supporter.

“Printing off this ballot paper and sending it to Brandon Lewis is one way we can make our outrage over this Brexit stitch-up known.

“We are not trying to interfere with the party’s democratic procedures, but we are pointing out that it is a simple question of democracy to let all the people have a final say on Brexit – not just the 0.25 per cent who are Conservative members.”

The protest was launched as postal ballots began to arrive in the homes of those 160,000 Conservative members, in the race to replace Theresa May.

Although the result will not be declared until 23 July, up to 80 per cent are expected to be returned within the next few days – early voting likely to favour Mr Johnson, the clear frontrunner.

The Independent has launched its Final Say campaign for a further referendum on the Brexit outcome, with a petition signed by almost 1.3 million people.

* The ‘ballot paper’ can be downloaded and printed from this address: https://www.peoples-vote.uk/conservative_party_leadership_ballot_paper