Tory party members; choosing your next party leader and everyone's next PM, what, who, why?

I guess it demonstrates that voters' expectations have become more presidential than party focussed over the years. Thus you get people complaining that Starmer is boring. Clement Atlee was boring but he changed the face of Britain for the better.
I am never quite sure why people want a comedian as a PM. At least Sunak, Mordaunt and Tugendhat look as if they are capable of a decent day's work.

LauraNorderr

Bossyrossy

Our system is so wrong, permitting a very small percentage of the voting public, who are not representative of the rest of us, to have the privilege of choosing our next prime minister.

With all due respect Bossyrossy our system allows for we the voters to elect an MP, the vast majority will vote for the MP that represents the party they favour.
The selection of the party leader is the job of the MPs and, in the case of the Conservatives, the final two are voted for by those of us who have paid our £25 membership fee.
The general population does not vote for a Prime Minister although I do believe that some charismatic leaders can influence the vote.

But the person the 200,000 Conservative party members vote for will automatically become Prime Minister.

I'm not disputing that it would be the same whichever party was in this position, but it is a fact that, due to the system, a very small number of people can and do choose Prime Ministers, relatively regularly.

But aren’t the electorate told it’s the policies and manifestos we ought to be more interested in? (Mostly not true I suspect with a huge swathe of the electorate - it’ll come down to Keir Starmer -v- whoeverin the next GE).

Exactly, LauraNorderr, why should members of the Conservative party pick the new PM. I would be happier if it were Conservative MPs who made the final choice, at least they know the candidates. Ideally on the sacking/resignation/death of a sitting PM, a general election should be called, and while I’m here, proportional representation should be how we elect our government.

The MPs narrow it down to the two they think are best so they do choose, if there is a big gap in numbers between those two the weaker one will step down.

It’s still not the ideal way to choose our next PM.

why should members of the Conservative party pick the new PM

I think they are really choosing the leader of the Conservative Party who, when that party is in government, is automatically the PM.

It feels odd at the moment because it's not a general election where the Tory leader is already known, but the principle of Tory members choosing the Tory leader is perfectly sound, I think.

Isn't that the same in other Parties?

Bossyrossy

It’s still not the ideal way to choose our next PM.

No, it probably isn't, but neither is having to do it in the middle of a government's time in office.

It seems a reasonable system otherwise – see my post above re general election.

Theresa May, Gordon Brown, John Major. No-one objected to the way they became PM.

It's just that the tory party members picked such a complete wrong 'un last time.

OMG - Nadine Dorris being interviewed alongside Reece Smug about their support for Liz Truss as future leader. Surely support from those two has to be the kiss of death

growstuff

martinthebandit

Ex member so not able to vote although I may rejoin soon.

If I could vote then if she was one f the final two Kemi Badenoch looks promising.

Promising for what? Hopefully, Badenoch won't make it through to the next round. She's my MP. Not only is she a useless constituency MP, but she's a careerist who has probably never had an original thought in her life.

So glad you said that, she's not my MP but I have read a lot of local news regarding her. She would definitely not been my choice.

Just really sad and despairing to see ANYONE support Pritti Patel. Where is kindness? Where is fairness? This woman is the real-life feminine manifestation of Voldemort in Harry Potter. Voldemort half muggle, exterminating muggles. She, from an immigrant family being cruel to immigrants. I think she is vile. Interestingly, I understand some sources say Hitler had Jewish blood. Far as I'm concerned the whole hypocritical, self-serving, uncaring load of thugs that is the Tory party should be booted out into the shadows. The only problem is I don't see Kier Starmer as much of a hero, either. As for Johnson on 'the world stage' when I was in Ireland recently they were clear, succinct and to the point about Boris, Brexit and where Britain is now going. It was learned, informed - and scathing.

It's OK, undines. She's dropped out.

Given the past years' shambolic performance and their ridiculous support for Brexit none of them are likely to deliver what most people want: a lower cost of living and reduced gas and fuel prices. It's only Tory ideologues who think tax reductions won't add to inflation. Sunak is right not to promise immediate tax cuts. I'm sorry to say the next couple of years will be very rough for most of us.

I hope it’s someone as awful as Boris so that they lose the next GE.

Let's have Suella or Penny.

That’s so interesting re: Kemi Badenoch. Thank you for posting. I don’t get the impression she cares about people or the environment, or anything much but herself

Needs to be someone not tainted by Johnson’s government so only Badenoch or Tugendhat but would prefer general election

I read about Mordaunt's presentation this morning. At least she's saying things which are relevant to people's lives. I've heard she's the one Labour fears most.

Johnson originally sacked Mordaunt.

I was so sorry to see Boris go but when he did, I was really hoping Ben Wallace would have thrown his hat in the ring as he would have been a 'safe pair of hands' for this country.
I'm not keen on Rishi and I think Jeremy Hunt would be a disaster. Probably Nadhim Zahaw is the best of the bunch

Badenoch has been a junior minister in Johnson's government and was responsible for the Equalities Report.

growstuff

I read about Mordaunt's presentation this morning. At least she's saying things which are relevant to people's lives. I've heard she's the one Labour fears most.

She’s very polished but it seemed more like a sales presentation. A lot of her hand gestures seemed very Trump like, which I didn’t like. I’m sure I misheard her but I thought Leadsom referred to her as the next president. I believe her Union Jack logo is copied from Labour.

Definitely not Rishi Sunak.
He was not a good chancellor.
Look at the money he borrowed then gave away during lockdown. Just ridiculous that our children will be paying for lockdown for many many years.
He acknowledges he admires Boris Johnston.
Really.
So why would we want him as PM. He admires Johnstone so my vote is def not for him.
Why was Richi not outspoken when the PM was floundering and could have benefited from a friend. Where was he? He was in hiding making a video I fear.
This is not the PM I feel we need. We need someone who has not been tarnished by Johnstone and that tarnishes so many.

I wonder if a drug and alcohol test, whenever any MPs enters their workplace, would be a positive way forward to ensure decision makers are at least sober when decision making.

Which of them is looking at reducing commitment to reducing use of fossil fuesls and meeting our climate obligations?