Unraveling the Tory Crisis: Beyond Leadership – The Search for Direction After Historic Defeat

Unveiling the turmoil within the Conservative Party following their unprecedented loss

The Conservatives face more profound issues than simply selecting a successor to Rishi Sunak, who recently stepped down as leader.

Assistant Political Editor @SamCoatesSky

Saturday, July 6, 2024, 5:

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This marks the most significant loss for the Conservative Party, and recovery appears to be a distant prospect. Efforts to rebound swiftly may only extend their suffering.

This loss didn't stem from an untimely election, a lackluster manifesto, events on D-Day, or misguided gambles by the prime minister's supporters.

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From Boris Johnson's tenure to Rishi Sunak's administration, the Conservative Party appeared to have strayed from its path in terms of economic, social, and international strategies.

It must not only chart a new course, but also importantly, determine its objective.

What is the main focus: expanding the economy, reducing the deficit, or implementing tax reductions? Does it support or oppose business interests? Is it willing to spend on improving public services, or is there an inherent distrust of the public sector? How can it address populist ideas without merely becoming a lighter version of Reform?

As the Conservative Party braces itself for what could be a long and tumultuous period of conflict and blame, it appears that currently, there are only a couple of points of consensus among its members.

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The initial point suggests that Mr. Sunak should bear significant responsibility. Additionally, it currently appears more advantageous to prevent Nigel Farage of Reform from joining the party. However, these beliefs may not remain accepted within the Conservative party for much longer.

Yet, our understanding does not extend much further.

Get ready for debates about what's ahead in the next few days. However, the real activity is centered around a behind-the-scenes procedural disagreement.

Discover more: Who might succeed Sunak as the Conservative leader? Insight: Was this victory devoid of enthusiasm? Prominent Conservatives who were unseated.

The initial task to be determined at the start of next week is scheduling the upcoming activities.

Mr. Sunak has proposed to continue serving for an interim period, though he did not clarify the duration of his tenure.

This implies the undesirable situation of him having to face Prime Minister's Questions from the opposition side in less than two weeks.

Is this expected to persist through the fall, possibly extending to or past the party conference? It remains uncertain.

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Next, there's the task of determining the makeup of the newly elected Conservative parliamentary group.

They will decide which two candidates advance to the membership vote, provided the rules stay the same.

Is this group of 121 MPs more favorable to Trussonomics or do they prefer Mr. Sunak's brand of conservatism, or perhaps their inclinations lie elsewhere? Once more, the situation remains ambiguous.

The issues at hand extend far beyond the matter of selecting the next leader.

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