Who should lead the Tories now?

If children's squabbling hadn't become a bit boring, I'd be reaching for the popcorn.

Somebody said earlier I think that they would probably go through a number of incarnations before the real successor emerges, that’s probably right. I can’t honestly see it being either Badenoch or Braverman, particularly if they get involved in a turf war.

I was at the hustings referred to in the letter. Badenoch was rude, arrogant and dismissive (as usual). I think she was probably quite shocked at how many votes she lost. The figures show that many former Conservative voters must have voted Labour. The area hasn't had a Conservative council for many years, so there is no longer grassroots support.

I honestly think that if Badenoch is chosen as leader that the Conservatives will be out in the wilderness for a decade at least. I can't see decent Conservative MPs even staying in the party.

That’s pretty damning growstuff.

According to Sky News the two favoured ladies have entered into a war of words tonight.

news.sky.com/story/tory-leadership-contenders-argue-in-public-over-nervous-breakdown-claims-13176193

Casdon

I spotted a poll of party members.
news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-has-double-the-support-of-suella-braverman-among-members-to-be-next-tory-leader-poll-suggests-13175817

The following letter appeared in this week's local paper:

Yes Grantanow, after all, he’s got plenty to spare

As a Labour supporter, I hope the Tories do go even further to the right. Go on Tory members, vote for Kemi

Maybe Starmer could lend them a backbencher!

Bodach, well said. i have said much the same on other threads.

It seems the membership are likely to make the mistake of voting for the candidate they agree with rather than the person with leadership qualities who can lead them back to the centre ground.

I spotted a poll of party members.
news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-has-double-the-support-of-suella-braverman-among-members-to-be-next-tory-leader-poll-suggests-13175817

maddyone

I don’t think the election result was down to Starmer. It was down to a good PR team behind him and most importantly, 33% of the population being Labour supporters and the rest being divided between Conservatives, Lib/Dems, and Reform, plus a good percentage who didn’t vote, which split the vote leaving the way clear for a Labour victory.

This is an interesting analysis, maddie. As a matter of interest, from where did you source your figures?

I would like to see Rory Stewart leading the Tories. As a Labour supporter I am not very invested in making the Tories electable, but I do understand that democracy needs a sensible opposition, and RS does talk sense. I like Ruth Davidson, too, although I know that in both cases this is fantasy football.

Braverman has been attacked by many Tories over her “divisive right wing”politics.

Her speech made at the Nat Cons conference in USA has angered many in her party, and she has, as a result lost much of the support she was relying on in her bid for leadership.

Some have gone so far as to demand her expulsion from the party, saying that her speech was disgusting and had nothing to do with Tory values.

"...this does show the now nationwide spread of the angry, unsophisticated and susceptible electorate on which reform preys."
That positively drips with condescension. "Angry, unsophisticated and susceptible." In other words, "The Great Unwashed", eh winterwhite? The benighted untermensch who, in their ignorance, voted for Brexit. Thank goodness there are sophisticated, discerning individuals like you around to point out the error of their ways and lead them to right-thinking redemption.

It was just the news media pushing that because they were desperate to find an angle to run with.

It’s daft saying that Labour only won 33% of the vote. They were the first choice of the electorate in 412 seats. That’s British democracy in action.

Of course, Boris Johnson only got his 80 seat majority in 2019 because he and Farage did a deal. Farage agreed not to stand Brexit party candidates against the Tories in ‘tricky’ seats, on the understanding that Johnson pushed ahead with Brexit.

Labour won the current election fighting fair and square against all the other parties AND a biased right wing media.

maddyone

I don’t think the election result was down to Starmer. It was down to a good PR team behind him and most importantly, 33% of the population being Labour supporters and the rest being divided between Conservatives, Lib/Dems, and Reform, plus a good percentage who didn’t vote, which split the vote leaving the way clear for a Labour victory.

This election was caught with forensic attention to detail.. And I think the brains behind that detail was Keir Starmer.
.

Sparklefizz

Tugendhat voted for Liz Truss so his judgment will always be tainted in my view.

I knew there was something Tugendhat did that changed my opinion of him.

I have been watching the Tory party since the election, and still chaos reigns - when will they learn?

Today for example there was an election for a new 1922 chairman, but the whips gave out the wrong times which meant that some were unable to vote - so now there is massive arguments going on.

Jenrick and Braverman have fallen out publicly - big time.

The Nat Cons are accusing the party of moving too far to the left 😄😄

The only one behaving with any real dignity rather weirdly is Sunak

Penny Mordaunt lost her seat in the election so cannot be the leader of the party. She is no longer an MP>

Tugendhat voted for Liz Truss so his judgment will always be tainted in my view.

I hoped for Rory Stewart when Boris was chosen instead.
I doubt Rory would want to come back, so now I think Kemi Badenoch or Penny Mordaunt - someone strong and determined with the country's best interests at heart.

I'd like to see a successor who can draw a clear line between Conservatives and Reform to get a reasonable opposition who agree on major areas of policy.

The Conservatives have a lot of regrouping to do. In the current lot the former leadership candidate Tugendhat could be a possible but I'm not an insider and know "possibles.

Clearly not Braverman, she's positioned herself close to Reform and also showed no hesitation in stabbing Sunak in the back days before the election.

I'm Labour clearly I dont know what Conservatives want but surely a solid place in the "middle ground right" with proper policies.

Despite not being a Labour voter, I still think the best man and best party won. The Conservatives were the only realistic alternative government and they are, currently, a completely busted flush and incapable of giving us good governance and have been in that state for the last 5 years. Neither Reform or the Lib Dems (whom I support) have enough support in the country to form a government.

As for those who didn't vote. Quite simply they do not count. They are ostriches, who bury their heads in the sand, thinking that way the lions won't see them. There may be no one you would vote for, but there is always someone you can vote against.

I don’t think the election result was down to Starmer. It was down to a good PR team behind him and most importantly, 33% of the population being Labour supporters and the rest being divided between Conservatives, Lib/Dems, and Reform, plus a good percentage who didn’t vote, which split the vote leaving the way clear for a Labour victory.