Conservatives Party Leadership Race

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

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.

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

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 🤞🏻

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.

Thanks Casdon you beat me to it.

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

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.

“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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Until the Conservatives have chosen a new leader and got their act together in the next five years they won’t win at the next GE as Reform will only get stronger.

God help us if Cleverley wins the race. If he performs as a leader the same way as he has as our local MP we are doomed.

When will they work it out that they are irrelevant

I like the sound of him; have done for a while. But I bet he will be the next elimination

I wanted to find out more about Mel Stride, as he's a relative unknown, and found this Guardian article.
www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/04/i-worry-about-populist-politics-mel-stride-says-even-progressive-voters-should-want-a-strong-tory-party

quite a lot to like in terms of being centrist, and intelligent points about populism.

I think they will take some time to develop clear policies. In Casdon's reference they seem have lost the "need for levelling up" MP's (as in the North of England).

Are the MP's and party members going to choose on the basis of "Being right wing to avoid losses to Reform" or someone who has clear thinking on the needs of those most deprived, the NHS, etc.

But with loss after a long time in power, dont parties often take time to re-group.

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!

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?

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/

Zannygranny

I don't think any of them will do much to improve the Tory party, I am pinning my hopes on the Reform Party for the future.

Why? What do you think Nigel Farage can do for you? Nigel looks after Nigel and he's an agent of chaos, bankrolled very dubiously. Even his party is a limited liability company.