We reported yesterday that the Executive of the 1922 Committee had settled on 2nd September as the concluding date of the leadership election. However, the Party Board also has the power to recommend a data. The Board met today and expressed a preference to push it back to the 9th. Here’s the statement from CCHQ:
“The Party Board welcomes the recommendation of the Executive of the 1922 Committee with regards to the Parliamentary timetable for the selection of the new leader of the Conservative Party. The Board and the 1922 Committee both agree that the leadership election should take place as speedily as practical considerations allow. In order to ensure there is full participation by the membership, the Party Board recommends that the date of the declaration of the leader is the 9th September 2016.”
This view seems to be motivated by the concern that many Party members will go on holiday in August, and thus potentially miss hustings and so on. It was an issue the ’22 considered at its meeting yesterday, before recommending the earlier date.
The ’22 has the eventual power to decide the date, and we understand that it is likely to agree to the Board’s recommendation. If it does, that would mean there would not be a new Prime Minister in place before Parliament returns from recess on 5th September.