Tory WhatsApp abuse probe launched after MP calls female colleague a ‘disgrace’ who should leave party

‘It’s bad enough when you get it from complete strangers. Is it any wonder three female MPs left,’ tweets Antoinette Sandbach

Tory MP Antoinette Sandbach was sent abusive messages by a male colleague (BBC Parliament)

Conservative whips are to investigate abusive texts sent to a female MP by a male colleague, who branded her a “disgrace” and told her to leave the party.

Antoinette Sandbach tweeted a screenshot of the WhatsApp messages, sent on Thursday evening in the wake of the fifth round of the Conservative leadership contest.

The two messages read: “You too are a disgrace. Time you left the party I think.”

They were sent after MPs whittled down the candidates in the race to replace Theresa May to just Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.

Ms Sandbach, who had backed Rory Stewart in the contest, wrote alongside the image: “Barely is the ink dry on the results and the dark ops begin.

“This is from a male Conservative MP to me as I sat on the train home #completewankspangle.”

She added: “It’s bad enough when you get it from complete strangers. Is it any wonder three female MPs left.”

Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen quit the Tories in February, citing concerns over the “the hardline anti-EU awkward squad” in the party.

Antoinette Sandbach tweeted a screenshot of abusive messages she said were sent by a male Tory MP (PA)

Ms Sandbach, the MP for Eddisbury, received a public message of support from Mr Hunt after tweeting about the abuse.

The foreign secretary wrote: “This is so wrong! We have to come together as a party…”

Chief whip Julian Smith condemned the messages as “totally unacceptable”. He said he would launch an investigation and meet Ms Sandbach on Monday, and thanked the MP for supporting the government’s Brexit deal.

Ms Sandbach said she had made an official complaint and “will get it dealt with internally”.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she believed the messages referred to her position on Brexit. Her favoured leadership candidate, Mr Stewart, had vowed to stop the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Ms Sandbach said it was “unacceptable” to tell people to leave the party because they have different views.

She added: “Even though I may have argued for Remain in the referendum originally, I have accepted the result and supported the prime minister three times [by voting for the Withdrawal Agreement].”