Who will be our next Conservative leader? Who is right for the job?

Oh dear.

Someone is taking the Michael
Or the Robert.

Apparently, among the merchandise on offer at the conference - Jenrick's campaign people are dishing out baseball caps with "BOBBY J" emblazoned on them (do we really have to emulate this brash American 'celebrity style' of political campaigning?).

Anyway, unbeknown to whoever designed the slogan - and in fact unbeknown to me - I had to look it up - the wording on the baseball caps, "WE WANT BOBBY J" is a slang reference to an act which is entirely unconnected with choosing a prospective party leader!

... or, maybe the individual who thought up the slogan did actually know its slang meaning, and chose it for the LOLS!

... "BOBBY J"... really?

I know he leans rightwards, but I can imagine the late Margaret Thatcher emulating her version of a disapproving face-palm...

I don’t think her speech seemed to be going down very well. The clapping seemed very muted.

(not saying that other contenders don't want the same, but it really does seem to me that Badenoch won't deliver that).

The relatively quiet and considered Tugendhat does seem to me to be likely to deliver that, but Badenoch is popular with party members at the conference. Who MP's want is a mystery atm to me.

Interesting soundbite from Cleverly just 30 mins ago (you can follow the events on the Guardian online continuous reporting feed)

"more normal’

James Cleverly has seized the momentum in the Conservative leadership contest, calling on his party to be “more normal” after a tumultuous few days for his two main rivals, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick.

In a speech on the final day of the Tory conference in which he apologised to the membership and the country for the failings of the parliamentary party, he said victory would come again when the Conservatives were “enthusiastic, relatable, positive, optimistic, let’s be more normal”.

The latest time I heard that she played the race card was in her leadership campaign, so it’s very recent, and was widely reported.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/doctor-who-david-tennant-kemi-badenoch-b2606193.html

Freya5

growstuff

Rosie51

I'm no advocate for Kemi Badenoch but your first sentence makes no sense at all. You think she should leave the country to demonstrate her real concern? I wonder how much that and your final sentence reflect other prejudices?

Which prejudices do you think I have?

No, I'm not suggesting that she should leave the country. She's a British citizenship anyway - she was lucky because the rules were changed not longer after she was born. However, I am suggesting that she's a hypocrite with some very muddled thinking.

Many people were "lucky". Rules change, this one thank goodness. At least she has made a mark, no I would not choose her, not very diplomatic, on a par with Lammy then, so hope she doesn't get in. As for using the race card, I've never heard her, unlike Lammy who rather puts it about all the time.

Errrmmm ... oh yes, she does play it (when it suits her). She's my MP, so maybe I pay more attention to what she says than many people.

I agree with Dickens.
The new breed of Conservative MP's are very different from their predecessors.

I'm never going to be a Tory-voter - but I wish there were some old-school type Conservatives among the crop of prospective leaders.

But the more sober Tory politicians have disappeared. When Boris Johnson took office, he rid himself of all those who he thought might oppose his Brexit negotiations - he needed yes-men on board, but he's changed the dynamic of the Conrservative party for ever.

growstuff

Rosie51

I'm no advocate for Kemi Badenoch but your first sentence makes no sense at all. You think she should leave the country to demonstrate her real concern? I wonder how much that and your final sentence reflect other prejudices?

Which prejudices do you think I have?

No, I'm not suggesting that she should leave the country. She's a British citizenship anyway - she was lucky because the rules were changed not longer after she was born. However, I am suggesting that she's a hypocrite with some very muddled thinking.

Many people were "lucky". Rules change, this one thank goodness. At least she has made a mark, no I would not choose her, not very diplomatic, on a par with Lammy then, so hope she doesn't get in. As for using the race card, I've never heard her, unlike Lammy who rather puts it about all the time.

None - they’re all a disgrace / tainted by the last lot of charlatans

PS. Don't waste your time and energy wondering! Any conclusion you come to would be wrong.

Rosie51

I'm no advocate for Kemi Badenoch but your first sentence makes no sense at all. You think she should leave the country to demonstrate her real concern? I wonder how much that and your final sentence reflect other prejudices?

Which prejudices do you think I have?

No, I'm not suggesting that she should leave the country. She's a British citizenship anyway - she was lucky because the rules were changed not longer after she was born. However, I am suggesting that she's a hypocrite with some very muddled thinking.

I'm no advocate for Kemi Badenoch but your first sentence makes no sense at all. You think she should leave the country to demonstrate her real concern? I wonder how much that and your final sentence reflect other prejudices?

Freya5

Kalm

Kemibad enoch is a complete racist a disgrace to her heritage and colour. In the so called good old days of the UK she would have not been allowed as a girl guide leader. Worse still does she genuinely believe in those racist views or is it for a specific “nasty” audience.
Does she believe in traditional British values if kindness, generosity and fairness. I think not.
Conservatism is a discredited philosophy and the move towards fascism is really scary and I am fearful of my grandchildren.
Although we do try and teach them good correct moral values. Not the nasty party ones.

So because she is black she can't be concerned about the mass immigration this country is seeing. Second to the economy in concern to this country.
Shall we be kind and compassionate to the whole world, can we afford to be. I think not. Costing the British taxpayer 4 billion a year, our pensioners only cost 1.4billion, yet as British people they had it taken off them. .
I fear for my grandchildren, and great grandchildren too believe me.

If Badenoch were really concerned about immigration, she wouldn't be here herself. She was fortunate because she's eligible for British citizenship. Her mother booked into a private London clinic to give birth. In the mid 1990s, when Nigeria was going through a lot of turmoil and Badenoch's parents lost much of their former wealth, they used the birth loophole to send her to London to live. She was an "economic" migrant. I don't really see that the colour of her skin has much to do with her issues. She's a little confused about it herself. On the one hand, she has claimed many times that there is no racial discrimination in the UK; however, she uses the race card when it suits her.

PS. She has history from before she was an MP of derogatory comments about Muslims.

Did she say that she was there, I don’t subscribe?

Casdon

I still want to know what is going on with Suella Braverman. No mention of her at all, which seems very odd, surely she must be there, and running an event?

She was on Twitter 6hrs ago...

JudyBloom

Either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badanoch.

Kemi Badenoch? She who was found out in lies last time she tried for leader?
Is she somewhere to the right of Liz Truss?
10% of civil servants should be in prison?

And, and, and, one breathtakingly astonishing utterance after another.

Remember, currently the leadership contenders are talking to the party faithful. And the pitch they have to make is entirely dfferent to what they need to do once elected, which is turn the Conservative party into a political party that has policies that appeal to the elctorate as a whole - and that is a very different kettle of fish!

I agree with you Pen50.

CarS

Since New Labour, I really am confused as to which represents what thesedays, but my goodness neither Labour nor the Tories seem fit for the purpose on anything We are in such a mess. Proportional representation might help but cant see that happening. A complete overhaul and a fourth party is what we need. But wait..............

A new party? Or do you mean a limited company??

Either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badanoch.

keepingquiet

Yes Tugendhat would be my choice if I had a vote.

However, Badenhoch and Jenrick might just complete the job of finishing the party off. So for that reason I might vote for Badenhoch.

I so agree keepingquiet, I'm astonished at what she comes out with, she has no grasp of what the country wants.

I suspect the others are similar too.

I still want to know what is going on with Suella Braverman. No mention of her at all, which seems very odd, surely she must be there, and running an event?

Kalm

Kemibad enoch is a complete racist a disgrace to her heritage and colour. In the so called good old days of the UK she would have not been allowed as a girl guide leader. Worse still does she genuinely believe in those racist views or is it for a specific “nasty” audience.
Does she believe in traditional British values if kindness, generosity and fairness. I think not.
Conservatism is a discredited philosophy and the move towards fascism is really scary and I am fearful of my grandchildren.
Although we do try and teach them good correct moral values. Not the nasty party ones.

So because she is black she can't be concerned about the mass immigration this country is seeing. Second to the economy in concern to this country.
Shall we be kind and compassionate to the whole world, can we afford to be. I think not. Costing the British taxpayer 4 billion a year, our pensioners only cost 1.4billion, yet as British people they had it taken off them. .
I fear for my grandchildren, and great grandchildren too believe me.