As Rishi Sunak stares defeat in the face, senior Tories are strategically positioning themselves for a leadership battle that promises to reshape the future of the Conservative Party – if they can keep their seats. Here’s the full story.
Leadership Race Heats Up
With the general election now only hours away, the leadership race to succeed Sunak is already heating up, with key figures positioning themselves for the top job.
Inheriting a Broken Party
However, the next leader of the Conservative Party will have a Sisyphean task ahead of them, inheriting a party in disarray, grappling with a lack of MPs, donors, activists and a coherent identity.
“Extinction Level Event”
The existential challenge facing whichever unfortunate has the unenviable task of replacing Sunak as leader will be to revive a party that is facing, according to political professor Matt Goodwin, an “extinction level event.”
Uncertain Tory Seats
Incredibly for the so-called “Party of Government,” the race to succeed Sunak hinges on which Tory MPs retain their seats, with many previously safe seats now considerably less secure for the Conservatives.
Mordaunt’s Struggle
Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons, is struggling in her Portsmouth North seat, while former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s constituency, previously a true blue Tory stronghold, is looking a little better, but by no means certain.
Badenoch Benefits
Culture warrior extraordinaire Kemi Badenoch, seen as a front-runner, has benefited from the absence of a Reform opponent in her North West Essex seat, as the candidate for Farage’s party was forced to step down over his past support of the fascist British National Party.
More Candidates Emerge
Other potential candidates include Priti Patel and James Cleverly, with each contender representing a spectrum from hardline right-wing to centrist, each with their own strategies and challenges.
Braverman’s Controversy
Disgraced former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, known for her hardline stance on immigration, has been a vocal presence since being unceremoniously sacked by Sunak after advocating the police use force on peaceful protesters. The sudden appearance of the domain suella4leader.co.uk, which redirects to her website, has been swiftly disowned by Braverman.
With Friends Like These
Braverman’s supporters argue that the party must listen to the disaffected voters who have migrated to Reform, advocating for stricter immigration policies and the withdrawal from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which would put the UK in a club with beacons of democracy like Russia and Belarus, the only two other nations to have left the ECHR.
Badenoch’s Ambitions
Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, has not ruled out another leadership bid after finishing fourth in the 2022 contest. While a website named kemi4leader.co.uk redirects to the Conservative Party homepage, Badenoch’s camp has denied any connection. Similarly, a grassroots campaign site, backingbadenoch.co.uk, claims to support her independently.
Anti-Woke Advocate
Known for her anti-woke stance and her use of culture war issues to promote controversial policies, Badenoch has, apparently without irony, advocated for a future vision of a united Conservative Party that transcends factional divides.
Mordaunt: A Moderate Hope
Unlike the more right-wing Badenoch and Braverman, Penny Mordaunt, who is considered a moderate, is seen as a potential leader who can steer the party towards the centre ground.
“Spare Tire” Strategy
Her website, PM4PM, was recently updated to prevent expiration, with a source close to the potential leadership candidate telling Sky News that her leadership website was kept online “for the same reason you’d keep a spare tire in the boot.”
Mordaunt’s Communication Skills
Mordaunt’s supporters argue that her communication skills and ability to inspire are crucial for rebuilding the party. Still, with the Conservative Party haemorrhaging votes to Reform UK, it is not certain that the Conservative base will support a centrist like her.
Threat From Farage
The main issue that whoever is the next leader of the Conservatives will have to deal with is the looming threat of Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party, with Farage’s potential entry into Parliament posing a significant challenge, as he consistently attacks the Conservatives from the right.
No Alliance With Farage
Mordaunt and Badenoch have explicitly ruled out a merger or alliance with Farage. However, Braverman extended an olive branch to Farage, suggesting he might be welcomed back into the Conservative fold.
Farage’s Rejection
However, Farage promptly rejected such an offer, stating simply, “I don’t think so.” He added, “I do like her, I do admire her, but I’m afraid at the moment all marriage plans are off.”
Party’s Uncertain Future
With the only certainty for the Conservative Party a likely defeat, the party’s future remains unpredictable. Even though only postal voting has taken place, it is perhaps unsurprising that, with an electoral wipeout on the horizon, the Conservatives with a chance of retaining their seats are already vying for leadership.
A Daunting Task Ahead
Whoever wins the upcoming leadership contest will shape the party’s approach to critical issues like immigration, climate policy, and economic strategy and face the daunting task of putting the pieces of a broken party back together. Whether any contenders are up to the task remains to be seen.
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The post Bad to Worse? Braverman, Badenoch and Mordaunt Lining up for Tory Leadership As Election Defeat Looms first appeared on Edge Media.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Melinda Nagy.
Grant Gallacher is a seasoned writer with expertise in politics and impactful daily news. His work, deeply rooted in addressing issues that resonate with a wide audience, showcases an unwavering commitment to bringing forth the stories that matter. He is also known for satirical writing and stand up comedy.