Pretty much every Friday there is a round of rumours that Tory MPs will go public with discontent over Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. The Sunday papers are traditionally the place for that kind of thing – for now, at least, they continue to drop without incident…
After a humiliating battering at the locals, MPs kept their counsel. Many continue to complain in private, but not a single one of the 120 (one currently has lost the whip, so not 121) raised their head above the parapet. They gripe behind closed doors about pretty much everything – from policy to PMQs – there’s a long list of complaints. Eyebrows were raised at a particularly testy argument this morning between Badenoch and BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt about her performance against Starmer on Wednesday…
The positioning in Badenoch’s shadow cabinet is transparent – Guido hardly needs to explain. Jenrick’s sheer work ethic and honed communication skill is now reliably driving the right wing media narrative. Chris Philp is considered a solid performer on crime and immigration, and is catching the eye of donors. Mel Stride has been advised by Tory old hands to help turn the party’s national campaign towards the economy, amid concerns that on that issue, they have not yet really set out their stall. But immigration is the most salient issue in every poll, and that is benefitting Reform…
Some senior Tories snipe that Badenoch did not put in enough campaigning effort during the local elections and took a step back for periods, which generated unhappiness at ground level. Her team pushes back strongly on this, and continues to see her as the answer – just that she hasn’t had enough time. But outside Tory circles, there is widespread media and public apathy about the Conservatives in general, and Tory MPs are busy plotting how to get out of politics themselves, rather than take out another leader…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”