Tory members have their say on the direction of the party
Cast your mind back to 2019, when the Tories were destined for an historic election defeat, riven by divisions of Brexit, led by a deeply unpopular centrist PM whom Boris Johnson didn’t particularly get along with. We’ve come so far.
In April of that year, grassroot Tory activists used a key internal party election to try and force Theresa May to stand down as PM, by holding a symbolic vote of no confidence, over fury about her leadership.
Well unfortunately for Rishi, that same board is holding elections again.
Internal elections are taking place for positions on the Conservative Party Board over the next few weeks, with voting opening for vice presidents of the national convention yesterday.
The victors will sit on the board of the party as they head into the 2024 General Election, and as one Tory grassroots contact put it, are the “only way members can influence the board”.
It’s thought the results could indicate the mood of the Tory party after all the chaos of the past year.
Given yesterday’s poll showing more 2019 Tory voters prefer Boris over Rishi, it could prove a tricky indication of how this autumn’s party conference will go down…
GB News demonstrates dedication to impartiality
Beachcomber used a quiet Monday evening to slip into GB News’ summer reception in the heart of Westminster.
Arriving slightly late, he turned up just in time to hear one prominent presenter delivering her speech, involving one joke referring to none other than Laurence Fox as a “narcissistic sociopath”.
Given Laurence is a fellow GB News presenter, currently on an Ofcom-enforced sabbatical while he fights the Uxbridge by-election, it’s a particularly stark demonstration of the channel’s dedication to free speech…
The reception was attended by many of Westminster’s great and good right-wingers, including Boris allies like Brendan Clarke-Smith, who brought his young baby as a plus-one, and former PM Liz Truss, who loitered at the reception longer than he’s ever seen her attend a party.
At one point said ex-PM and politico baby were seen chatting together. At least Liz has finally found an intellectual equal…
Government breaks another promise
Arriving at yet another Westminster reception this week, one Cabinet Minister bravely declared to a journalist that tomorrow they planned on invading France.
Beachcomber overheard and must confess his hopes were slightly raised that the Rishi had finally worked out a coherent plan to win the next election.
Sadly, hopes were once again dashed when Wednesday came and went without so much as a single shot fired over the Channel.
Just another Government U-turn…
SNP just can’t resist the allures of London
Loitering with a pint outside the Red Lion always allows Beachcomber to see all sorts of people from far and wide.
Some are more surprising than others.
On Thursday as Beachcomber supped his pint he spied Jamie Hepburn, a minister in Humza Useless’ Scottish nationalist government who was having a drink with disgraced sec pest SNP MP Patrick Grady.
It turns out that Hepburn is paid wads of public money to be the Minister for Independence.
In other words he is responsible for trying to separate Scotland from England and the parliament in Westminster.
It always surprises Beachcomber how desperate these people who cannot abide Westminster are so keen to get down here and be seen in it.
Trashing Brexit latest
It’s not just Labour’s candidate in Uxbridge making questionable statements amid his by-election campaign. The Lib Dems’ Sarah Dyke has also been busy making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
A fortnight ago she made what will likely be her most memorable headlines of the campaign, by giving one of the worst political interviews in recent years.
Now the Express can reveal her previous public statements aren’t much better.
Ms Dyke was the Environment Portfolio holder at South Somerset council, during which time she was forced to announce a six-week suspension of waste collections in July 2021.
She claimed that the decision had been caused by the then-national driver shortage, though that was primarily to do with HGV drivers.
She added it was because of a “long-term issue made worse by… the departure of many EU drivers”.
Has she considered blaming her terrible interview on Brexit yet?
