Andrew Bridgen today became the latest Tory MP to have the party whip removed after he compared to Covid vaccine to the Holocaust.
Chief whip Simon Hart said the North West Leicestershire MP had “crossed a line, causing great offence in the process”.
Hart and his predecessors have certainly been busy since the last election.
Bridgen is the sixth Conservative MP to have been suspended by the party since the last election for a variety of alleged misdemeanours.
Here are all the other Tories now sitting in the Commons as independents.
Julian Knight
The Solihull MP was suspended last month after a complaint about him was made to the Metropolitan Police.
The following day Knight, who was chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport committee at the time, described the move as “wrong and unjustified”.
Matt Hancock
The former cabinet minister was disciplined by the party after agreeing to appear on ‘I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here’.
Simon Hart said: “Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have considered the situation and believe this is a matter serious enough to warrant suspension of the whip with immediate effect.”
Hancock defied all expectations to come third in the reality show, and announced last month that he is standing down at the next election.
Chris Pincher
The former deputy chief whip’s fall from grace helped to precipitate the downfall of Boris Johnson.
Pincher had the whip withdrawn following allegations he groped two men after having “far too much” to drink.
Johnson had initially tried to stand by his colleague, and his botched handling of the scandal ultimately led to the mass ministerial resignations which ultimately led to his removal from Downing Street.
Rob Roberts
The MP for Delyn in North Wales had the Tory whip removed in May last year after he was found to have made repeated unwanted advances to a member of staff.
Roberts was also suspended from the House of Commons for six weeks for breaching sexual misconduct rules.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the then Commons leader, said it would be “honourable” for Roberts to stand down as an MP, but he continues to sit as an independent.
David Warburton
The MP for Somerton and Frome had the whip removed last April after an investigation was launched into sexual harassment allegations.
Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme said it was probing claims made against David Warburton by three women.
The Sunday Times also reported allegations that Warburton had taken cocaine, and that he had failed to declare a £100,000 loan from a Russian businessman.
Seven former Labour MPs are also currently sitting as independents after losing their party whip, as are one former Plaid Cymru MP and one former SNP MP.
It means that the number of independents now outnumber the 14 Lib Dems.