ANDREW PIERCE: Tory MPs are handed the profile of ‘Candidate X’
A secretive assembly occurred in Parliament final week wherein Tory MPs have been handed the profile of an individual — named solely as ‘Candidate X’ — who might save the celebration from disaster on the subsequent election.
Adding to the thriller, they have been informed the outline was primarily based on one of many potential Conservative management contenders hoping to switch Rishi Sunak.
The profile of Candidate X was a part of a ballot of 13,500 voters by Whitestone Insight, which ominously predicted that, with Sunak as chief, the Tories may have simply 65 seats after the overall election.
The survey examined how three leaders from completely different factions of the celebration — labelled X, Y and Z — would fare on the polls.
A ballot predicted that, with Sunak as chief, the Tories may have simply 65 seats after the overall election
Who was Candidate X modelled on? Perhaps the tough-talking Dame Priti Patel or Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch?
Candidate X backed Brexit, needs decrease immigration and would scrap the mad sprint to Net Zero by 2050. Candidate Y backed Brexit, however needs larger immigration to help some industries and opposes reducing taxes too shortly. Candidate Z was a Remainer, opposes tax cuts and backs Net Zero.
The polling confirmed that Candidate X romped residence with the help of 34 per cent of all voters — whereas Y acquired 19 per cent and Z, 22 per cent. Under Candidate X, the Tories could be the most important celebration in a hung Parliament.
Andrew Hawkins, of Whitestone Insight, stated: ‘I didn’t wish to give them a reputation, I needed them to see what kind of chief they should win an election.’
So who was Candidate X modelled on? Perhaps the tough-talking Dame Priti Patel or Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch?
The precise reply is former residence secretary Suella Braverman, who struck a chord together with her assault on bias within the police and the ‘tofu-eating wokerati’.
On the quilt of the U.S. model of Liz Truss’s new ebook Ten Years To Save The West, she is styled as ‘former Prime Minister of Great Britain’.
Has Northern Ireland disowned her?
Dewer skewers George
Workers Party of Britain MP for Rochdale George Galloway
The new Dundee-born Rochdale MP George Galloway famously requested the late Scottish chief Donald Dewar why folks took an ‘immediate’ dislike to him. The droll Dewar replied: ‘Because it saves time, George.’
Much mockery on the Tory winter ball final week of Sir Keir Starmer U-turning on his pledge to splurge £28 billion a 12 months on inexperienced tasks.
Lord Leigh, a celebration treasurer, stated: ‘Starmer is barred from bidding.
He usually begins at £28 billion, then goes to £5 billion, earlier than providing £20 and a few luncheon vouchers.’
Lord Cormack, who died final week, aged 84, was a passionate defender of Parliament’s traditions.
In 2005, when he was an MP, he was appalled when pro-hunt protesters — amongst them Otis Ferry, the son of rock star Bryan Ferry — entered the Commons chamber.
While the Serjeant-at-Arms, furnished with a ceremonial sword, did nothing, the portly Cormack, a Staffordshire MP for 40 years, frog-marched a ringleader out of the chamber.
Has Reform UK closed door on Lee?
Will Lee Anderson, suspended by the Tories over his assault on London mayor Sadiq Khan, defect to Reform UK?
Anderson has had one assembly with celebration chief Richard Tice, however his co-deputy, Ben Habib, is not so eager on the straight-talking Ashfield MP.
He stated: ‘I’d be fairly circumspect about anybody who cannot specific themselves precisely, clearly and in issues of nice sensitivity… Lee clearly hasn’t obtained a grasp, in my opinion, of the language required to determine and deal with the issue.’
Lee Anderson (pictured) has had one assembly with celebration chief Richard Tice
Anderson’s row with Khan overshadowed Rishi Sunak’s announcement final week that the cash saved by scrapping HS2’s northern hyperlink will fund enhanced transport connections within the North and the Midlands.
Maybe Anderson did Sunak a favour. The first time the PM introduced the scheme on the Tory convention, the spend was £36 billion. Last week it was £4.7 billion.
