Guido hears discussions are underway in LOTO about hardening the right wing Tory offer at the Shadow Cabinet level. Another right-wing shakeup could be on the way…
Sources say one candidate under consideration for moving along is Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride. Some influential Tory MPs bemoan Stride’s poor media performance and left-wing positions on tax. His record in government leaves something to be desired as well *cough* Loan Charge *cough*…
Badenoch has been buoyed by the Mandelson scandal this week. Her last shadow reshuffle was in July last year – sources say discussions are underway for another. If Stride – who is not close to Badenoch – leaves Shadow Cabinet he could shack up with the Gavin Barwell’s centrist ‘Prosper’ group. Something LOTO planners will be considering…
Guido members will have seen Tory dissatisfaction coming. A snippet from Guido’s member-exclusive ‘Right Angle’ column from 20 January:
‘One veteran Tory MP joked “that LibDem” won’t keep the Shadow Chancellor brief for long. Another was polite, but lethal: “I like Mel, but Jenrick should have been Shadow Chancellor. Mel’s got a 61-vote majority. Will he even contest the seat again? There should have been a more dynamic person in”.’
UPDATE: A source close to Kemi said: “There’s no truth to this whatsoever.” Bookmark it…
Speaking at his press conference on the Pride in Place programme which was obviously all about Mandelson, Starmer said:
“Tomorrow’s front pages are unlikely to be about the Pride in Place programme.”