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.
Considered alongside Lord Ashcroft’s recent research, Public First’s findings suggest that the challenge, while certainly difficult, is a long way from hopeless.
The decision involves children, parents, schools and doctors, and has implications for rights, mental health, responsibilities and culture – as well as the management of a restive parliamentary party.
He may have less than a year, as Parliament returns and his Party’s conference looms, to persuade voters of his case – which he has scarcely even begun to make.
The pressure on Grant Shapps from Conservative backbenchers will push him one way only: I’ve never heard of one who wanted less spent on defence. The new Energy Secretary is in a more testing position.
Today’s changes are expected to be small-scale with a bigger shuffle taking place before the King’s Speech in early November.
Maybe the future isn’t Leavers v Remainers, or even Conservative v Labour. Perhaps its truth v post-truth – Rowling v Dorries. I’m with Rowling. You?
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.
His university-educated opponents will view him as a relic of the past. I see his refusal to stay on message as the shape of things to come.
The Prime Minister is vulnerable to claims of “getting in on the story” even when he’s displaying strategic purpose. There are signs that he recognises this but time is short.
At any rate, the voters of Mid-Bedforshire would tell us something interesting to know. That either a significant percentage of them want rid of Nadine Dorries… or not.
An emphatic 66 per cent are opposed to LDNs – and a socking great 83 per cent to the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Will local Associations select insiders or councillors? The answer in this latest case is: both.
Downing Street and CCHQ will be perturbed by the continuing run of men being selected in the safer constituencies.