Gasps echoed through Committee Room 14 as the results of the fourth leadership ballot were unveiled.
All day, the buzz around Westminster revolved around a crucial question: Who would emerge victorious—Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch—to face off against James Cleverly in the Tory leadership showdown?
Jenrick’s chances took a hit after he publicly claimed, via social media, that special forces were assassinating terrorists instead of apprehending them, a statement that drew ire connected to the European Convention on Human Rights.
Badenoch, on the other hand, showcased her unpredictable style when she ignited a heated debate regarding maternity benefits.
There was a general agreement that Jenrick had delivered a solid performance at the Conservative Party conference, particularly with his appeal to be “more relatable.”
However, when Bob Blackman, chair of the 1922 Committee, announced the results on Wednesday, shockwaves rippled through the room.
Claims of tactical voting gone awry filled the air. The theory floating around suggested that supporters of Cleverly attempted to knock either Badenoch or Jenrick out of contention, only to see their favored candidate eliminated instead.
Hastily, Cleverly’s campaign team dismissed any notion that they encouraged such voting tactics, firmly asserting that the opposite was true.
Once more, the Conservative Party disregarded calls from prominent figures like Theresa May to shift toward the political center and concentrate on reclaiming seats from the Liberal Democrats rather than courting Reform Party members.
James Cleverly had long been viewed as the leading contender for the leadership role.
Now, party members find themselves choosing between two candidates who are largely perceived as leaning to the right.
This has raised concerns among some that the Tories could be setting themselves up for a tougher fight in the upcoming general election.
Labour’s emotions also ran high in response.
Charles Walker encapsulated the sentiment in 2022 when he vehemently criticized his Conservative colleagues for their role in appointing Liz Truss to Number 10.
Enough was enough; he declared he was tired of “talentless individuals” occupying cabinet posts.
Following the Conservative Party’s recent electoral defeat, he shared his thoughts with RTÉ News outside Westminster, emphasizing the need for the party to prioritize the nation over internal politics.
This approach has been a successful one for Labour’s leader, Keir Starmer.
When asked this week about the latest leadership ballot’s outcome, Walker noted it illustrated the Conservative Party’s penchant for “revolution over evolution,” labeling it a “head-in-hands moment.”
“I genuinely admire Kemi,” he remarked, but he felt that James Cleverly would be better positioned to challenge Labour if he were selected.
Walker astutely observed, “Keir Starmer is fortunate in his adversaries,” given that the Labour Party is grappling with its own set of challenges in governance.
As for leadership going forward, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and now podcaster George Osborne discussed his belief on-air that whoever claims the Conservative leadership will likely not retain the position by the time of the next general election. It’s a sentiment echoed by many Westminster insiders.
Osborne highlighted a parallel to the last time the Tories were in opposition, which saw three different leaders—William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith, and Michael Howard—who couldn’t garner enough support to secure Number 10.
Some observers are drawing comparisons to a “Corbyn” phase within the Conservative Party, referring to a leader who garners a fervent following yet struggles to win a majority.
Badenoch and Jenrick would surely counter such claims.
Their supporters may argue that under the more “moderate” leadership of Rishi Sunak, the Conservative Party lost over 200 seats.
In the coming weeks, Badenoch and Jenrick will work diligently to sway party members in their favor for the top spot.
Ultimately, their endurance in the role hinges on their ability to persuade the broader electorate that the Conservative Party is worthy of a return to Number 10.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
