A Tory MP had a very telling response to a BBC presenter’s jibe about former Conservative chairman Richard Holden’s quest to find a seat before the election.

Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers was put on the spot by Nicky Campbell, who mocked Holden for being parachuted into the Basildon and Billericay constituency after his previous seat in North West Durham was abolished.

Holden won his new seat by just 20 votes and quit as Tory chairman days later.

Introducing Vickers on BBC Radio 5Live this morning, Campbell said: “Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton West since 2024, previously MP for Stockton South since 2019. There were boundary changes, but you got back in Matt.”

Vickers replied: “Yeah, seat change. I didn’t do the chicken run thing that a lot of people got into the vogue of doing.”

Campbell pointed out: “Including your party chairman.”

The MP then said “no comment” before laughing nervously and saying nothing.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Campbell said: “Oh I do like a pause.”

Tory bosses were accused of a “stitch-up” after he was effectively imposed party members on Basildon and Billericay shortly before the selection deadline.

He had previously said he was “bloody loyal to the north east”.

Holden told ITV: “They’ve never had a constituency MP who works harder. I’m up there, even doing this job, every week, working seven days a week for the people of North West Durham and I’ll continue to do that right to the day of the next general election.”