From Left to Centre: Tory Hopefuls Could Learn from Starmer’s Strategic Shift to Regain Power

Why Conservative contenders for leadership might consider adopting Starmer’s strategies for success

During his campaign for leadership, Starmer aligned himself with the left-wing faction, only to later shift his position towards the center and, as Starmer himself expressed, prioritize “national interest over party interests” upon securing the leadership role.

Political editor Beth Rigby (handle: @BethRig

Tuesday, September 3, 2024, 4:

The Conservative Party faces a fresh chapter and a new set of challenges as the remaining members convene in Westminster to select their next leader.

On Monday, Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly kicked off their campaign events, gearing up for the initial elimination round set for Wednesday.

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The differing perspectives they hold for the party offer insight into the dynamics of the upcoming race.

Insiders suggest that the decision made by Conservative MPs and members is crucial in deciding if the party can recover from its significant election defeat to potentially regain power after just one term.

Considering the significant working majority of 181 held by Labour, it appears that reconstructing it would realistically require at least two terms.

Supporters of both Badenoch and Cleverly, whom I spoke with at their campaign kickoff, mentioned that while Starmer has a broad base of support, it isn't very deep. They pointed out that the Labour leader currently has the backing of 34% of voters, compared to the 43% Tony Blair secured in 1997.

On Monday, the two potential leaders presented distinctly contrasting proposals.

Badenoch has chosen "renewal" as her campaign theme and dedicated her speech to defining her core values—personal accountability, civic duty, family importance, and honesty—instead of discussing specific policies.

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She vowed to speak candidly as she proclaimed that her previous administration "spoke conservatively but acted liberally, echoing Conservative rhetoric while their actions aligned more with Labour policies".

"She expressed that while the government should undertake fewer tasks, it should execute those it does undertake exceptionally well."

"We cannot continue to rehash the same policy debates from the previous session. We were defeated. We're not in charge… it's time to concentrate on rejuvenation. The rejuvenation of our party, our political approach, and our mindset."

Cleverly, on the other hand, embraced a set of policy initiatives.

He discussed dedicating at least 3% of the GDP to defense, reinstating the Rwanda policy, reducing taxes, and downsizing the government. Presenting himself as the deeply loyal ex-cabinet member capable of consolidating the party, he emphasized leveraging his governmental experience to prepare the Conservatives for a return to power.

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Further Information: Who are the candidates in the Conservative leadership contest? Badenoch states that merely highlighting Labour's flaws will not restore trust.

Central to the discussion, and crucial to the future of the Conservative Party, is the selection of a leader who can not only reclaim voters who have shifted to Reform UK by adopting a stricter stance on immigration—(Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat have committed to exiting the ECHR to address the issue of small boats, a move James Cleverly believes is unnecessary, and Kemi Badenoch considers not urgent)—but also attract back those who have moved to Labour, the Liberal Democrats, or did not vote at all.

Badenoch leads in the betting odds, yet experienced political insiders around Westminster contend that the race remains too close to predict.

At her campaign kickoff today, Badenoch was backed by several prominent Members of Parliament, including former cabinet minister Claire Coutinho and former Treasury minister Laura Trott.

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At Cleverly's event, there were just four Members of Parliament in attendance, the majority being party members. Activists present expressed to me that his steadfast dedication to the party through tough times has garnered significant backing from the base.

On Wednesday, the group will be reduced by one, with another member leaving the following week.

The final four candidates will compete at the end-of-month party conference, after which Members of Parliament will narrow the field down to two, leaving the party members to decide between them.

After suffering a significant defeat in the previous general election, the party can find some solace in the fact that the current resident of No10, who succeeded Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader in 2020, was initially dismissed as incapable of overcoming Johnson's substantial 80-seat majority within a single term.

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Numerous factors contribute to this situation, ranging from external challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, to self-inflicted issues and lapses in leadership, including the "Partygate" scandal, Conservative Party instability, and Liz Truss's tumultuous term in office.

The situation was also influenced by a leader who initially aligned with the left during the leadership contest, only to shift towards the center once in charge. In the words of Starmer, he chose to "put country before party" upon securing the leadership position.

Following the election defeat, the upcoming Conservative leader could consider adopting strategies from Starmer's playbook to help guide their party back to a position of strength.

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