Pigeonholing Tugendhat as the candidate of the party’s centre-left simplifies his multi-faceted record.
The biggest problem is that you can win the post with the support of 30 per cent of the parliamentary party, but can’t hold it without the support of at least 50 per cent. That is an unstable position for any party leader.
Henry Hill talks to Times Radio’s Matt Chorley about the Conservative leadership contest and this week’s unedifying row between Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman.
In Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, they got their people. In Brexit and Rwanda, they got their policies. Efforts to pin it all on the Wets, the Remainers, and the ‘Blob’ will be in vain.
Since the current rules were introduced just over a quarter of a century ago, six leaders have come and gone and, excluding David Cameron, they have averaged just 768 days as leader.
Between Lee Anderson’s defection and the row over Frank Hester, MPs are questioning the Prime Minister’s judgement. But they should remember Simon and Garfunkel’s wise words: every way you look at it you lose.
Looking back at her seven short weeks has reminded me that she was not unlucky, or ill-advised, or a victim of an establishment stitch-up, but the author of her own misfortune.
Her performance at the Coronation won the Leader of the House an adoring public, and indicated that despite her many critics she is still a potential successor to Sunak.
Turnout is key. It is not necessary to convert Conservative abstainers to Conservatism. The challenge is to convert the Government to Conservatism. But the Prime Minister can not be blamed for trees being chopped down in Plymouth.
It is absurd for even diehard NIMBYs to let London overspill undermine the Tory vote across the South East. There is a bargain to be struck.
The former Prime Minister is of less importance than resisting the temptation to make her mistakes all over again.
Over this period, the UK’s economic growth was level with the US’s and exceeded the other five members of the G7. In other words, on international comparisons, we did well.
To ignore the wishes of the membership by either denying them a vote or forcing out their elected leader (as with Boris Johnson) shows arrogance and a disregard for party supporters.
Overall, the contours of this leadership election are broadly as expected – but a detailed examination of Tory MPs reveals some surprising leadership fault lines.