Rumours swirl round SW1 of a spring General Election, and Guido hears that staff at CCHQ have been told that CCHQ and Number 10 are in lockstep for a May election. Nevertheless the logic of a spring election avoids peak boat crossing season and a potentially disastrous set of May local elections that would likely take the wind out of the sails of Tory campaigners. It would also avoid Tory embarrassment should flights to Rwanda not take off in the summer. One option is to bring the spring budget forward to February, introduce income and/or inheritance tax cuts. Giving the Tories a bounce into the election.
Guido’s also been told that the UK’s hosting of the next European Political Community conference in May will complicate scheduling. Yet a Halloween election is said to be unlikely, as it’s is deemed too close to the US elections in early November because this apparently is deemed, Guido kids you not, to risk leaving the free world leaderless. Better for Sunak to head to the polls early with vigour than close to the wire reluctantly…
However, some Downing Street sources say Issac Levido, Tory campaign manager, and No.10 Chief of Staff Liam Booth-Smith, are reluctant to hold an early election as Labour’s 20-point lead in the polls doesn’t look likely to drop in time as the economy goes sideways. Contrary to reports in the Sunday papers the City thinks mortgage rates have peaked – if you believe the yield curve. Still, last week Levido was confirmed to be stationed full time in Matthew Parker Street from 1st January…
UPDATE: Guido hears Sean Topham (one half of 2019’s digi-whizz kid agency Topham Guerin) is being spotted increasingly with Cass Horowitz at CCHQ.
CCHQ staffers arriving at Matthew Parker Street this morning were greeted with warm brownies – including a gluten-free option – and the promise of a new coffee machine, as Nadhim Zahawi launched an attempt to regenerate morale after months of chaos, long hours and cutbacks.
An email to staff this morning outlined some of the immediate office changes they’d find as they arrive for work, including the removal of stuffy blue dividers between desks and the abolition of closed blinds. There was previously a policy that you couldn’t open the blinds, leading to complaints of having to take vitamin D supplements…
Office plants are making a comeback, after CCHQ outsourced the watering of the plants and then cancelled the contract to save money. There’s also a new bookshelf next to Zahawi’s room that will shortly be a new office library, soon to be filled up with help from think tanks and others. Withdrawals will be based on an honesty system…
The announcement from Zahawi’s two SpAds – both called James and thus nicknamed The James Hydra – excitingly promises that the procuring of the new proper coffee machine is almost complete.
With Levido now formally back inside the tent, things at CCHQ – if not the Tories’ polling numbers – are finally looking up…
Political obsessives will have been looking forward to the Policy Exchange/Conservative Home webinar yesterday afternoon entitled “One Nation Conservatism: what does it look like after COVID-19?”. A rare appearance by the deliberately low profile Isaac Levido – whose name is currently being floated as the possible next No. 10 Chief of Staff – was top billing. The respected political strategist set tongues wagging by pulling out of the online event with no explanation proffered to those logged on to see him. It was a virtual event, so Guido’s guess is that he just didn’t fancy risking being cross-examined about recent events in Downing Street. Even if there were overtures from Boris regarding the Chief of Staff appointment, Isaac would be reluctant to walk away from his new start-up firm…
The exponential rise in reporting on SpAds has finally culminated in a shake-up of recruitment ordered by No. 10, including the launch of spadjobs.uk, both to increase transparency in the recruitment process, and to encourage more corporate and professional appointments. Guido’s not sure Downing Street will attract corporate professionals with current SpAd pay grades…
It’s also been announced that all new appointments will be screened and vetted by the Conservative Party with the help of Hanbury Strategy (the consultancy co-founded by Vote Leave’s Paul Stephenson), before having a phone interview and an interview panel with Isaac Levido. Lee Cain will then have the final say. Guido spots the site was registered by the Tories on the 17th February – the day Andrew Sabisky resigned…
