The latest Tory leadership race information shows that the three current front runners are all women and are from ethnic minorities. As a party that has battled with its stance on immigration, it’s ironic so much of the leadership comes from immigrant families.
Leading the Pack
At the time of writing, Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, and Priti Patel lead the race for Tory leadership.
Former Prime Minister of Indian Descent
Rishi Sunak was born in England to parents of African birth and Indian descent. His family story is one of immigration.
Suella Braverman From Similar Background
Braverman’s parents were also born in Africa but of Indian descent. Suella herself was born in the UK.
Priti Patel From African-Indian Background
Like Sunak and Braverman, Priti Patel was also born in the UK to parents born in Africa from Indian parents.
Kemi Badenoch of Nigerian Descent
Kemi Badenoch was born in the UK to Nigerian parents. She spent a significant amount of her early years in Nigeria before returning to the UK at the age of 16.
Yet They’re So Against Immigration
You’d think that, given their personal stories about immigration, the front runners would be far more tolerant of immigrants.
Sign of Things to Come
There has been much speculation regarding the Conservatives’ future direction. With three right-wingers leading the leadership race, the future looks pretty certain.
Reform UK Merger?
Suella Braverman has publicly stated that she believes the Tory party should form closer ties with Nigel Farage.
Brand of Tory Politics Tarnished?
The question will be, is the right-wing version of the Tory party the best for the future? As the party went further right, it lost trust and vote share in the election.
Johnson Started the Process
Whilst he started life as a leader with a lot of support, by the end of his tenure, Johnson had lost much of his cabinet through resignations.
Truss Finished It
Truss’s disastrous tenure killed the remnants of trust in a Tory government. By the time Sunak took over, the country was desperate to rid itself of the Tories.
More Stability in the Centre
The most extended period of success and stability enjoyed by the Tories in recent years was between 2010 and 2016, when Cameron and Osborne ran the party.
Successive Election Victories
Whether you agree with their politics doesn’t matter – Cameron steered the party to successive election victories – the only Tory leader to do so since Thatcher.
Tory Party Unrecognisable
We’re now in a situation where there is no obvious male in the leadership race. High-profile Tory men such as Hunt have ruled themselves out.
Previous Runners No Longer in Position to Lead
Michael Gove, Penny Mordaunt, Nadhim Zahawi, and Grant Shapps are no longer MPs, which means they can no longer stand in a leadership contest.
Previous Records Don’t Look Good
If we consider Braverman’s and Badenoch’s previous records in the leadership contest, they weren’t popular choices. Braverman was eliminated after the second ballot, and Badenoch after the fourth.
No Talent Left
The Tories are now in a position where there’s no apparent leader. The talent pool is shallow, and their reputation is in tatters.
2020’s Tories – Different to Before
If you’d asked the Cameron supporters in 2015 if they thought in less than a decade you’d see a search for the sixth Tory leader in 9 years, they’d have looked at you like you were deranged.
Contest a Politically Correct Dream
If you told them the front runners would all be female and all from ethnic minority backgrounds, they’d think you’d have lost the plot. And here we are – a sign of progression for many or regression for some. Not in terms of ethnicity but the lack of apparent talent left in the party.
The Poisoned Chalice
Whoever takes the job has an almighty task ahead of them. Facing a Labour government with a vast majority on the back of the worst Tory performance in history. It’s a very tough gig.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sean Aidan Calderbank.