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.
“I made the decision I made for reasons that were personal to me – there was a fundamental difference of economic policy… What happened thereafter was not my doing.”
The former Prime Minister is of less importance than resisting the temptation to make her mistakes all over again.
MPs hardly have a great track record of selecting suitable candidates – and the current system allows for coronations when needed.
This year has shown that our current leadership election system is untenable. Yet to replace it should mean compensating members with an expansion of their control of the party, including funds, candidate selection, and policy.
Austerity and the cost of living are doubtless going to dominate the Government agenda, but the summer gave us a glimpse of what ‘Sunakism’ would look like.
“We simply cannot afford to be a low-growth country where the Government takes an increasing share of our national wealth.”
But can he induce the backbenchers who applauded his victory to refrain from civil war?
In a short statement, Sunak called the role the “greatest privilege” of his life.
The recent history of the Conservative Party and the country is the ultras have had their way on both policy and personnel. The result – for both party and country – is now clear to see.
He says claims Johnson “has the numbers” even though he hasn’t hit 100 public backers.
“He is the greatest electoral asset the Conservative Party has had in modern times,” he says.
“We had this major issue which led to him [Johnson] having to resign, which is Partygate,” he says.
If Johnson became prime minister again it would be a “guaranteed disaster,” says Steve Baker.
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.