As tensions rose within the Conservative Party, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch clashed publicly over leadership and leaked remarks, revealing deep internal divisions and setting the stage for a fierce battle for the party’s future. Here’s the full story.

Conservative Party’s Civil War

Worst Defeat Ever

The Conservative Party, already reeling from the worst general election defeat in its history, has seen the first shots fired over the civil war that is likely to engulf the party as it prepares for a leadership election.

Calls for Unity

Just hours after the newly elected shadow Home Secretary called for unity in an article in The Times, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch exchanged barbs over leaked comments from the Conservative Party’s first meeting following its general election defeat. The remarks intensified the brewing leadership contest and exposed the deep divisions within the party.

“Strength in Unity”

Cleverly wrote, “There is strength in unity, and the Conservative party has always been at its best when it embraces being a broad church. We lost voters to the left and the right, and we won’t win them all back if we narrow our offer.”

Braverman’s Controversial Remarks

The controversy began when Braverman, speaking at the National Conservatism conference in Washington, DC, stated, “We won a great majority in 2019 promising to do what the people wanted. We were going to use our Brexit freedoms and stop waves of illegal migrants. We were going to cut taxes. We were going to stop the lunatic woke virus. We did none of this.”

Liberal Conservatives Blamed

She added, “Our problem is us. Our problem is that the liberal Conservatives who trashed the Tory party think it was everyone’s fault but their own. My party governed as liberals and we were defeated as liberals. But seemingly, as ever, it is Conservatives who are to blame.”

Pride Flag Controversy

However, Braverman’s speech’s contentious part was when she referenced the LGBTQ+ Pride flag, which was flown at the Home Office. She stated, “What the Progress flag says to me is one monstrous thing: that I was a member of a government that presided over the mutilation of children in our hospitals and from our schools.”

Badenoch’s Accusation

Following the controversy that arose from the speech, Badenoch accused Braverman of having a “very public” mental breakdown in the shadow cabinet meeting.

Leaked Discussions

After the meeting, Badenoch took to X, formerly Twitter, writing, “It’s a shame our discussions in [the] Shadow Cabinet were leaked yesterday. If there is no private space to discuss our party’s challenges, we will never fully address what the electorate told us last week. The views of those outside these meetings matter too. Not just backbench MPs, but our party activists, members and friends who lost seats after giving everything to the campaign.”

Call for Honesty

She added, “In government, we had too much nodding along in the room and arguments outside it. That culture needs to change. We need to be honest with one another in private, and united in the direction we take afterwards.”

Braverman Responds

In response, Suella Braverman, the disgraced former home secretary and a potential leadership contender, took to social media to challenge Badenoch’s comments.

“Very Public Nervous Breakdown”

Braverman replied to Badenoch, “I’d be interested in knowing whether Kemi thinks I’m having a ‘very public nervous breakdown.’ Kemi, and the rest of the cabinet, should not have nodded along, as they and Rishi took the party to disaster. The refusal to take responsibility is at the root of our problem. It was not someone else’s fault.”

Sunak’s Apology

Amid this turmoil, Rishi Sunak addressed Conservative MPs, expressing sorrow and apologising for the election loss. Sunak’s remarks were described as “very sorrowful, apologetic” by Tory MP Bernard Jenkin, who noted the absence of hostility towards the former Prime Minister and praised him for “not rushing out of the door as some previous leaders have done.”

Leadership Contest Looms

The upcoming leadership contest is expected to be a bloodbath within the Conservative Party. Several factions, each with its favourite leader, will battle it out for dominance over a party that has seemingly lost its way.

Blackman’s Reflection Call

Bob Blackman, newly elected head of the influential 1922 Committee, suggested that the party should not rush the leadership election process. Blackman advocated for a period of reflection following the electoral defeat to consider the party’s future direction carefully. Several MPs echoed this stance and emphasised the need for a measured and thoughtful approach to selecting the next leader.

Fraught Path Forward

However, as the Conservative Party attempts to navigate this tumultuous period, the path forward remains fraught with challenges, and it remains to be seen whether any of the contenders for leadership are up to the challenge.

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