All CCHQ employees were told last week that if they wish to support a candidate they would have to take unpaid leave, but over the weekend one of three CCHQ ‘Youth Officers’ Ryan Stoneman has invited friends to like a Cleverly for Leader page and shared the ‘win with Cleverly’ website on his Facebook account.

Today the official Young Conservatives Twitter account (which  Stoneman runs) shared a James Cleverly video, although as of this afternoon all posts promoting Cleverly have now been deleted. Uh oh…

The Tories haven’t had a youth wing since the Elliott Johnson scandal. Today Guido can reveal the party is relaunching an official youth operation under the name Young Conservatives. Activists were told at the party’s Spring Forum that Conservative Future will change its name. Here’s the structure:

• “YC branches will be integrated with local Associations and into the wider voluntary party. officers will only be elected by members of the association and be aged 25 and under”;
• “University student societies will operate outside the party”;
• “Increased youth ownership and engagement in local associations in order to strengthen them”;
• “Focus on activity that is tangible for party success”.

What could possibly go wrong…