My hunch is the next generation of aspiring leaders will have a firmer grip on the meaning of conservatism than the current crop. Or, at least, I hope so — otherwise there might not be a party to lead.
The joint One Nation Caucus and Tory Reform Group conference last weekend, following the recent National Conservative Conference, are pointers to the shape of a possible future.
If Sunak doesn’t commit the Conservatives to leaving, and then somehow wins the next election, the next Leader of the Opposition will take up the cause.
“There’s been a clear trend, over a long time, for MPs to be local champions, rather than distant representatives of capital or labour in Westminster.”
Downing Street and CCHQ will be perturbed by the continuing run of men being selected in the safer constituencies.
Starmer pops up in the Daily Telegraph’s opinion section from time to time, and this won’t have gone unnoticed in Downing Street.
Do not confuse the quietude on the part of Matthew Parker Street for anything more than the usual calm between election periods.
Rather than a charter of exciting new ways to invade your privacy, their report is more an attempt to respond to Dean Acheson’s claim that Britain has lost an empire but not yet found a role.
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.
The Prime Minister must make up his mind whether or not to see through a policy to stop the small boats – now an issue of profound symbolic importance.
The Government seems to have no plan to communicate as cost of living woes multiply. Here’s a first stab at one.
The swing was a below average by-election one to an opposition party, and about half the swing to the party that the national polls are showing.
Radical devolution and a new focus on HE and FE are among two things that can help the Government achieve its aims.
The Foreign Secretary knows that she is being played off by them against the Chancellor. They know she knows. And she knows they know she knows.
Michael Gove, Jerome Mayhew, Nick Timothy and more join us to discuss the mission of the New Social Covenant Unit.