Veiled Critiques and Courteous Clashes: The Tory Leadership Race Begins Amidst Party Turmoil

The competition for Tory leadership is shaping up to be both a rivalry and a retrospective analysis. Dame Priti Patel and Mel Stride have subtly critiqued their fellow contenders, maintaining politeness for now. However, as Rob Powell notes, this cordiality may not endure.

Political reporter @robpowellnews

Sunday, July 28, 2024, at 3

Conservative leadership races typically begin with a lot of friendly gestures and formalities, but it usually doesn't take long before the digging up of dirt and underhanded tactics start.

Mel Stride gracefully launched his campaign when he appeared on Friday to make the announcement.

When questioned about another contender's apparent sudden shift in stance regarding the European Convention on Human Rights, he responded, "I'm not going to engage in any criticism of my opponents."

The statement might have seemed more credible if, just 90 seconds later, the shadow work and pensions secretary hadn't also said, "I think it would be a significant error for anyone to start advocating specific stances or making firm commitments to attract our members or particular groups among them."

This serves as a pointed criticism of Tom Tugendhat, who caught several of his peers off guard when he announced his candidacy for leadership by stating his readiness to withdraw from the international court.

So far, five Members of Parliament have declared their candidacy: James Cleverly, Dame Priti Patel, Mr. Stride, Robert Jenrick, and Mr. Tugendhat.

It is anticipated that Kemi Badenoch will soon announce her candidacy, while doubts linger over Suella Braverman's ability to garner sufficient support.

Further Details on the Conservative Party

Suella Braverman Opts Out of Conservative Leadership Contest

Kemi Badenoch Joins the Contest for Conservative Party Leadership Following Rishi Sunak's Departure

Priti Patel joins the Conservative leadership contest, stating it's 'time to prioritize unity over personal grudges'

Stay informed on all the recent developments from the UK and globally by following Sky News for updates.

Amid the debris of the election's outcome, curbing the blame game may well be an insurmountable task.

Announcing her bid for the leadership position, Dame Priti appeared to adopt a conciliatory tone, penning in The Telegraph: "When we Conservatives battle each other, we fail."

The problem is that she has essentially committed herself to battling against fellow Conservatives.

For an enhanced video experience, it is recommended to use the Chrome browser.

Delving further into Dame Priti's article reveals a decidedly sharper tone.

"The former home secretary stated, 'Our valiant members are not at fault. It is the politicians who have failed and disappointed.'"

This raises the query: who exactly did not meet the expectations?

Can Boris Johnson be blamed for overseeing turmoil within his administration and the decline of norms during his tenure?

Can Liz Truss be held accountable for the economic chaos that occurred during her tenure?

Is Rishi Sunak accountable for deciding to hold an early election and not managing to make a significant impact throughout the campaign?

Learn more: Who are the candidates vying to succeed Rishi Sunak? New poll unveils the frontrunner favored by the public.

Stay ahead with the latest Breaking News

Download the Sky News application at no cost

Every candidate will bring a unique viewpoint.

Moreover, each of them has a personal reputation to uphold, which is often closely connected to the very shortcomings that their opponents are pointing out.

This leads us to the main reason why the next few months could be tough for the Conservative party.

👉 Tap here to subscribe to Electoral Dysfunction on your favorite podcast platform 👈

This leadership contest is both a retrospective analysis and a competition.

Post-mortem analyses are often gruesome, particularly when numerous potential causes of death exist.

Associated Subjects

Sky News Bottom Section

Information About Sky News

Services Provided by Sky News

Sky Television Networks

Additional Sky Websites