As the Conservative leadership contest rumbles on, you might be wondering what the candidates are really like. We’ll be updating this post with peer profiles from their election opponents as we get closer to the announcement.
Running against a senior Cabinet Minister poses unique challenges, but even more so when that Minister is not primarily focused on re-election, but rather for an inevitable leadership bid.
The most fitting commentary I have heard on Kemi Badenoch is that she could start a fight in an empty room. It quickly became apparent to me that Badenoch is divisive both politically and personally. She makes enemies rashly, in both the local Conservative association and the Conservative parliamentary party. It was near to polling day that I was messaged by the political editor of a leading newspaper informing me of Badenoch’s unpopularity with her fellow Tory MPs – and that many of them predicted her to lose her seat.
Both in the media and in person, Kemi Badenoch comes across as arrogant and unable to communicate compassion – her approach is very much a continuation of the self-serving politics which has defined the Conservative Party. At a time when the Conservative party is undergoing a period of crisis and soul-searching, Kemi Badenoch’s division and tendency to belittle her own colleagues will only worsen this. Her habit of making controversial statements, such as the recent maternity pay blunder, would give Keir Starmer and the Labour team plenty of attack material. It is not Kemi Badenoch as leader of the opposition which worries me, as I know she would be no match for Keir at the dispatch box. Rather, at such a volatile time with the riots and the rise of far-right populism, I can’t help but worry that Kemi Badenoch will only pull the Tory party further to the right.
Profile written by Issy Waite. Issy was the PPC Labour candidate in North West Essex and is Progressive Britain’s Events and Programmes Officer.
I had met Mr Cleverly previously while campaigning in Basildon during the 2023 Borough Council Election and again on my PPC for Braintree campaign trail. He was always polite, cordial, and respectful. He is charismatic and, even though we are ideologically opposed, on a one-to-one level, is admittedly quite likeable. He passes the age old ‘would you go for a pint with them’ test. After all, he has held two of the four great offices of state, which does require at least a certain degree of interpersonal skills. It is clear from conversations and observation, that he is closer to the one-nation wing of the Tory Party and seems uncomfortable with its current trajectory.
I think that Cleverly would represent a positive move for the Conservatives towards the centre and is now the only contender from the moderate slate, his only other competitor from this wing being the unsuccessful Tom Tugendhat. I believe we would see a fundamental shift away from the reliance on culture wars and wedge issues under Cleverly, and I think we can all agree, that politics could do with some more adults in the room.
Cleverly does however have significant hurdles to overcome. Given his prominent position in the last Government a quick Google search will result in countless articles reporting everything from previously held political beliefs, to political own goals. From describing the Stockton North constituency as a ‘sh*t hole’ in the House of Commons whilst the MP asked the then Government why 34% of children were living there in poverty, to making appalling comments about using the date rape drug Rohypnol on his wife, we must address the issue of his lack of a political antenna and questionable judgement. For the last two years he has remained unapologetic in his steadfast support of Liz Truss, part of the reason for the existential crisis the Tory Party now faces. As the most senior member of the last government standing, rightly or wrongly, he is seen as part of the ‘old guard’ that led the party to their current position in Opposition. I would question whether his political operation is adept enough and his re-branding is perceived as genuine or bold enough, for him to win the membership when placed against the likes of Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick.
Profile by Matthew Wright. Matthew was the PPC Labour candidate in Braintree, is a seasoned campaigner and former town councillor.
Speaking to residents before and after the hustings it was quite obvious that Tom Tugenhadt was a well-liked constituency MP despite being a minister.
I’d spoken at The Judd School in Tonbridge a few days before the first hustings in Ash and he was the only candidate for the election that hadn’t shown up to speak to the students. Our first hustings was intentionally packed with Conservative party members, Tom played hard and fast with the time limits, speaking for 10 minutes on each question, a classic tactic to avoid answering sticky questions.
Whilst I was waiting in the green room at our second hustings and chatting with the other candidates, Tom had stuck to himself in the corner, not saying hello before going onto stage with the rest of us. He impressed upon the crowd to vote for him as the candidate, not for the Conservative party, a tactic that lots of Tories were using across the country. Given the smaller drop in vote share he experienced I suspect this worked in his favour.
Throughout the count his team were polite and when he arrived shortly before declaration, it was quite clear he’d won. As we walked up on stage, he stood next me and spoke to me for the first time, despite seeing each other twice before. He shook my hand on stage and proceeded to make his victory speech. The very human thing that sticks out to me is walking back to the car, Tom told me to wait away from any cameras and any other people. He spoke to me for a few minutes and said that I’d performed well and to keep at it and shook my hand again as we both left.
Profile by Lewis Bailey. Lewis was the PPC Labour candidate in Tonbridge and tweets at @LewisWJBailey.
