The Tory Commons leader has risked angering dozens of his own party's MPs by declaring people elected in snap elections were unsuitable.
Mark Spencer made the eyebrow-raising comment in an interview with The House, Parliament's in-house magazine.
He suggested unsuitable candidates were able to stand in the 2017 and 2019 elections because they were announced in a rush.
He said all parties – but certainly the Conservatives – would deliver a "higher calibre" of candidates at the next election, because it won't be a surprise.
It comes as Parliament faces mounting accusations of sleaze, sexism and bullying – and a raft of resignations, which sparked by-elections.
He said: "I think we'll be in a much better place at the next general election, certainly in the [Conservative] party as we will have taken much more time to scrutinise people. There will be a much longer process.”
Two Tory MPs quit in just a few days last week over scandals involving their behaviour.
Mr Spencer was first elected in 2010
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Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
First came Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan, elected in 2019, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15 year old boy.
Then Neil Parish – elected in 2010 – quit after admitting to watching porn in the Commons Chamber.
“I don't think having two rapid general elections in a row has helped parliamentary parties,” Mr Spencer said.
“The Labour Party, Liberal Democrats will all have selected candidates quite quickly, not realising a general election was coming.”
Some 107 Tory MPs were newly elected in 2019, and have formed a close-knit faction within the party.
Mr Spencer, whose previous job as Chief Whip put him in charge of party discipline, was elected in 2010.
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Sourse: mirror.co.uk