She said: “I can tell you now I was approached this last year by many Conservative MPs who basically said ‘if I lose my seat can you help me get a job? You know, you have had a career outside politics.’
“I think that is wrong, I’ve told them this by the way.
“I believe politics is about public service and putting your country first.”
Outlining the problems with the Tories, Dame Priti warned that CCHQ (the officials running the party) have had too much power in recent years and in many cases have not allowed genuine Conservatives to become candidates.
She said that she wants change in the party.
The former Home Secretary said: “I am a grassroots Conservative first and foremost. I care about my party and I care about the country and I care about centre right politics.
“I want to see the next generation of centre right candidates coming forward. We have had too much centralisation.
“I believe in more democracy in our party, I believe in our grassroots having a fair right and proper say in terms of the selection of their candidates who want to be MPs.
“They want to hear people who are interested in public service and politics not from people who think that being an MP is another stepping stone in their career.”
But she insisted that it is not too late for the party to turn things around if it is on the side of the British public.
She pointed to the recent win in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election where the Tory candidate Steve Tuckwell won against the odds because of his opposition to the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in London by Sadiq Khan.
Dame Priti said: “We can win if we come together, be united and stand up for core Conservative values and beliefs. We need to be on the public’s side.”
