Conservatives Party Leadership Race

It's not racism to not want billions of pounds to be spent on people we don't even know what or who they are. I'm happy for genuine asylum seekers and legal immigrants to come to live and work in this country and live to its values and not try to change the country into a country they have just abandoned.

She’s only been there two months, for crying out loud. Blame the other politicians who’ve let it go on for decades.

As for terrorism, MPs are regularly all gathered together. There would be a question about whether the cost of security is higher than second home savings, I suppose.

IOMGran

IOMGran

Casdon

IOMGran

RIP One Nation Conservatives. Very sad.

Not in parliament, it’s pretty much the same split as it was pre-election.
ukandeu.ac.uk/whos-left-the-composition-of-the-new-parliamentary-conservative-party/

So how come their choices are so hard left?

Sorry, I meant right. Bloody hell!

Because they’re still trying to be UKIP/Reform. Don’t seem to realise that people tend not to vote for extremes.

Freya5

Siope

Second home allowances for MPs should, however, be restricted to those who live more than an hour’s commute from Westminster, and should be restricted to the cost of a one- bedroomed flat. Better yet, there should be state-owned accommodation in which MPs can stay when they need to be in London overnight. They should live in their constituencies, and should, like the rest of us, meet the costs of running and maintaining their home out of their salaries.

Having them all under one roof is an open invitation to any would be terrorist. Brighton bombing comes to mind.
Otherwise as you say living within one hour of work should not entitle them to a second home, and certainly not any WFA, for any of their homes. Reeves should hang her head in shame that she has allowed it to continue. Late finishes, rent a hotel room.

Rachel Reeves does not determine pay and expenses for MPs.
This is how it works, through the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (click on home on the attachment to see the explanation of their role).
www.theipsa.org.uk/publications/the-scheme

Their real problem is, attracting back all those voters that deserted to Reform, without them there is no chance of EVER being able to form a majority.
Because of this I really dont see a centrist leader being elected

They lost far more votes to the decidedly centrist LibDems and Labour than to Reform.

Peter Oborne, former chief political commentator and/or editor at the Spectator, The Mail, and the Telegraph, and a lifelong conservative voter until 2019, has written an excoriating piece about the leadership election, and what is says about the current Tory party. I remember tweeting back in about 2010 that I was astounded to find myself agreeing with Oborne on a political point, and he tweeted back that he’d make sure it never happened again. He fibbed, because this chimes a lot with me.

www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/uk-tory-leadership-race-lurches-dangerous-far-right-territory

“They lost far more votes to the decidedly centrist LibDems and Labour than to Reform.”

They certainly did here, we had an excellent local Liberal candidate who replaced a disgraced Tory MP, defeating a parachuted in replacement Tory central office candidate.

However Reform did get a lot of votes, Liberals retaining the seat at the next election will be a major challenge.

Gosh it’s close.
After todays vote (BBC):
Four candidates remain in the leadership race. The result of the vote is as follows:
Kemi Badenoch: 28
James Cleverley: 21
Robert Jenrick: 33
Tom Tugendhat: 21
Mel Stride: 16 (eliminated)
So there are 61 votes for candidates on the right, and 58 votes for moderates, after Priti Patel’s elimination last week.

Thanks Casdon you beat me to it.

I find it hard to believe that Kemi Badenoch is ahead 🤷‍♀️

I can’t see those who voted for Mel Stride voting for her now though GrannyGravy13, so I wonder if she’s now reached the peak of her popularity? I can’t remember such a close competition at this stage before.

Casdon

I can’t see those who voted for Mel Stride voting for her now though GrannyGravy13, so I wonder if she’s now reached the peak of her popularity? I can’t remember such a close competition at this stage before.

I really hope that the Mel Stride supporters turn to Tom Tugendhat 🤞🏻

If they do, he’ll be in the lead next week - there’s definitely still all to play for.

Leader will be elected by party members not MPs, Jenrick looks strong, checking his background he doesn’t look like a centrist to me.
If I was a betting man it would be him, I expect him to appeal to members.

No point betting, Jenrick is already odds on, Badenoch 2/1, rest are nowhere