Bob Blackman is the Conservative MP for Harrow East, and Chairman of the 1922 Committee.
After the devastating defeat that the Conservative Party suffered at the recent general election, it is clear that we need to understand the reasons for the defeat, choose the next leader, and decide on the future direction of the Party.
I am pleased that Rishi Sunak has agreed to continue as party leader and leader of the opposition until the process is complete and a new leader has been elected to take his place.
As the newly elected Chairman of the 1922 Committee, I am also pleased that we have a broad spread of candidates, and that those candidates will be supported to maximise their contact with Party members, who will make the ultimate choice of the new leader.
The nominated candidates are now free to write articles, appear on the broadcast media, and to visit constituency associations over the summer recess.
Associations are free to invite one or more candidates to an event – and there is no requirement to invite all of the candidates. Given that many associations will be organising events during the summer and autumn, this should provide the maximum opportunity for candidates to directly speak to members.
However, we are determined that blue-on-blue personal attacks on candidates will not be tolerated. After all, the constant sniping and backbiting amongst parliamentary colleagues was one of the contributory factors to our defeat.
In the event that a candidate does break these rules, then a ‘yellow card’ and a statement will be issued, which will severely impact that candidate’s chances of being elected.
It is absolutely right that candidates set out their policy platform and views of the future direction of the Party under their proposed leadership. Equally, we want to ensure that MPs, ex-MPs and party members do not indulge in direct attacks on candidates, as this will only serve to demonstrate to the public that we have failed to learn our lesson from the general election.
Moreover, the process is constructed so that the final four candidates will have a chance to set out their plans at Party Conference with maximum exposure to the party membership, before MPs decide on the final two to go forward to the ballot of members.
The rules were established following numerous discussions with the Party Board, Conservative Members, MP’s and the 1922 Executive Committee, and I am pleased to share the details with you.
Nominations of candidates opened at 7pm on Wednesday 24 July and closed at 2:30pm yesterday. Candidates were required to hand in completed nomination forms to the Officers of the 1922 committee, who subsequently verified the signatories.
Candidates were required to have a proposer, seconder, and a further eight signatories on the nomination forms for them to be deemed valid. Colleagues were entitled to sign only one nomination form, and any applications with duplicate signatories disregarded. (I am pleased to report that no duplicate signatures were received!)
The six nominated candidates, and their proposers and seconders, are:
- Kemi Badenoch | Alex Burghart, Julia Lopez
- James Cleverly | Gagan Mohindra, Peter Fortune
- Robert Jenrick | Danny Kruger, Caroline Johnson
- Priti Patel | Greg Smith, Saqib Bhatti
- Mel Stride | Jerome Mayhew, David Reed
- Tom Tugendhat | Karen Bradley, Neil Shastri-Hurst
On returning from the summer recess, the candidates will go forward to a ballot of Conservative MPs on 4 September. The one who receives the lowest share of the vote will be knocked out of the contest. A further ballot will take place on 9 September, and third on the 10 September if necessary, each time removing the candidate with the least votes, until four remain.
This final four will then again be free to attend association events across the country, meeting members of the party and furthering their campaign.
During the Party Conference, candidates will each be given a slot to address the conference and members, outlining their vision for the party, as well as to attend on an equal basis a variety of events across the event. The party chairman will also arrange a series of hustings for the candidates, allowing exposure to the members and an opportunity to outline their vision for the Party’s future.
When the House returns from the conference recess, there will be a series of hustings in Parliament, followed by ballots to whittle down the candidates to the last two. The finalists will then go to a ballot of the Conservative Party membership (as of 24 July), with ballot papers landing on doorsteps from 15 October.
Voting will close on the 31 October, and the new leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party will be announced shortly after, on the 2 November. They will assume their role immediately.
I am confident that this will be an amicable and constructive leadership contest. Candidates are required to adhere to the Nolan Principle of Public Life throughout; anyone persistently found to be breaking these, or ignoring the rules of the contest, will receive a joint statement from the Chief Whip, Party Chairman and I, with the potential of a yellow card and public statement.
Once a new leader is elected, it is imperative that the whole party, MPs and members, offer their full support so that we can build a thriving future for our Party, and the best possible chance of returning to government at the next election.
Bob Blackman is the Conservative MP for Harrow East, and Chairman of the 1922 Committee.
After the devastating defeat that the Conservative Party suffered at the recent general election, it is clear that we need to understand the reasons for the defeat, choose the next leader, and decide on the future direction of the Party.
I am pleased that Rishi Sunak has agreed to continue as party leader and leader of the opposition until the process is complete and a new leader has been elected to take his place.
As the newly elected Chairman of the 1922 Committee, I am also pleased that we have a broad spread of candidates, and that those candidates will be supported to maximise their contact with Party members, who will make the ultimate choice of the new leader.
The nominated candidates are now free to write articles, appear on the broadcast media, and to visit constituency associations over the summer recess.
Associations are free to invite one or more candidates to an event – and there is no requirement to invite all of the candidates. Given that many associations will be organising events during the summer and autumn, this should provide the maximum opportunity for candidates to directly speak to members.
However, we are determined that blue-on-blue personal attacks on candidates will not be tolerated. After all, the constant sniping and backbiting amongst parliamentary colleagues was one of the contributory factors to our defeat.
In the event that a candidate does break these rules, then a ‘yellow card’ and a statement will be issued, which will severely impact that candidate’s chances of being elected.
It is absolutely right that candidates set out their policy platform and views of the future direction of the Party under their proposed leadership. Equally, we want to ensure that MPs, ex-MPs and party members do not indulge in direct attacks on candidates, as this will only serve to demonstrate to the public that we have failed to learn our lesson from the general election.
Moreover, the process is constructed so that the final four candidates will have a chance to set out their plans at Party Conference with maximum exposure to the party membership, before MPs decide on the final two to go forward to the ballot of members.
The rules were established following numerous discussions with the Party Board, Conservative Members, MP’s and the 1922 Executive Committee, and I am pleased to share the details with you.
Nominations of candidates opened at 7pm on Wednesday 24 July and closed at 2:30pm yesterday. Candidates were required to hand in completed nomination forms to the Officers of the 1922 committee, who subsequently verified the signatories.
Candidates were required to have a proposer, seconder, and a further eight signatories on the nomination forms for them to be deemed valid. Colleagues were entitled to sign only one nomination form, and any applications with duplicate signatories disregarded. (I am pleased to report that no duplicate signatures were received!)
The six nominated candidates, and their proposers and seconders, are:
On returning from the summer recess, the candidates will go forward to a ballot of Conservative MPs on 4 September. The one who receives the lowest share of the vote will be knocked out of the contest. A further ballot will take place on 9 September, and third on the 10 September if necessary, each time removing the candidate with the least votes, until four remain.
This final four will then again be free to attend association events across the country, meeting members of the party and furthering their campaign.
During the Party Conference, candidates will each be given a slot to address the conference and members, outlining their vision for the party, as well as to attend on an equal basis a variety of events across the event. The party chairman will also arrange a series of hustings for the candidates, allowing exposure to the members and an opportunity to outline their vision for the Party’s future.
When the House returns from the conference recess, there will be a series of hustings in Parliament, followed by ballots to whittle down the candidates to the last two. The finalists will then go to a ballot of the Conservative Party membership (as of 24 July), with ballot papers landing on doorsteps from 15 October.
Voting will close on the 31 October, and the new leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party will be announced shortly after, on the 2 November. They will assume their role immediately.
I am confident that this will be an amicable and constructive leadership contest. Candidates are required to adhere to the Nolan Principle of Public Life throughout; anyone persistently found to be breaking these, or ignoring the rules of the contest, will receive a joint statement from the Chief Whip, Party Chairman and I, with the potential of a yellow card and public statement.
Once a new leader is elected, it is imperative that the whole party, MPs and members, offer their full support so that we can build a thriving future for our Party, and the best possible chance of returning to government at the next election.