Building A Yellow Wall? Can Ed Davey And His New MPs Capitalise On Their Election Triumph?

Posted on 13/09/2024 by Boris Clair

At the end of the 1972 film The Candidate, newly-elected US senator Bill McKay, played by Robert Redford, asks his adviser Marvin Lucas a simple question: “What do we do now?”

It is a question which could equally have been asked of Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, as his party gathers in Brighton this weekend for its first conference since its outstanding result at the general election in July.

The Lib Dems saw their representation in parliament soar from 15 MPs to 72, allowing them to reclaim from the SNP their position as third-biggest party in the Commons.

With the Tories reduced to a rump of 121 MPs, the result has presented Davey with a golden opportunity to present his party as the true opposition to a Labour government with a huge parliamentary majority.

So far, however, it has sometimes appeared as though the Lib Dems are caught between two stools, unsure whether to attack the Labour government or what remains of the Conservatives.

Polling by Savanta, exclusively shared with HuffPost UK, highlights the party’s dilemma.

It shows that voters believe that with Labour in power, the Lib Dems need to “rediscover their purpose”.

Awkwardly for Davey, the research also reveals that Lib Dem voters are pretty happy with the job Keir Starmer is doing so far as prime minister.

They are the only group, apart from Labour supporters, who give the new PM a positive approval rating. And nearly a third – 30% – say they like Starmer and his policies.

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta told HuffPost UK: “Liberal Democrat voters are broadly pretty happy – with the direction of government, the issues they’re tackling and Keir Starmer himself.

“That’s a problem for Ed Davey and his team, as it means they need to find a balance and ultimately rediscover their purpose, now that they’re holding Labour to account, rather than the Conservatives.

“The Liberal Democrats are clearly in the strongest position they’ve been in some while, and are likely looking forward to party conference.

“Through a mixture of message discipline on the NHS and sewage, they’ve taken down the Blue Wall. But the question now is where next? Do you attempt to make further inroads with a depleted Conservative party, or start focusing your ire at the government – who your voters quite like?”

Separate research by the More in Common think-tank, also seen by HuffPost UK, suggests the Lib Dems have a golden opportunity to do even better at the next election – if they have the courage to grasp it.

Focus groups with Lib Dem voters showed they want the party to be a “competent and distinctive” opposition, pushing Labour for tougher action on climate change and a closer relationship with the EU.

Chris Annous of More in Common said the 72 Lib Dem MPs also need to “establish themselves as community champions” if they want to return to parliament at the next election.

“There is room for pushing for a closer relationship with Europe and a quicker timetable on climate action in a way that is unlikely to backfire either in the Blue Wall or the Liberal Democrats own ‘Yellow Wall’, that now extends from Eastbourne to Exmoor, but can instead help the party establish themselves as a distinctive opposition to Labour,” he said.

“These two issues are popular both with their 2024 voters and those who considered voting Liberal Democrat in 2024.”

Ed Davey carried out a series of stunts during the election campaign.

Wendy Chamberlain, the MP for North East Fife and the Lib Dems’ work and pensions spokesperson, told HuffPost UK that the party is already proving itself to be the opposition.

“It’s quite clear that the Tories have gone into a even greater degree of meltdown since July 4, and their leadership election is going on until November.

“We’ve already demonstrated that we’re an effective opposition. One example is on Labour’s decision to cut winter fuel payments. That doesn’t feel like the change that people voted for.”

A senior Lib Dem source said: “A lot of people voted for us to get rid of the Tories, but if you look at the polling, the top reason was because of our position on the NHS and care, so it’s really important that we continue to campaign on that issue.

“People put their trust in us at the election and now we need to work hard to keep that trust.

“If you look at the seats where we’re now in second place, they are Conservative-facing. The way we think we can defeat more Tories next time is by being a better opposition than them. We’re going to be united and coherent while they tear themselves apart.”

Ed Davey spent the election campaign as if he was on a six-week long stag trip, paddleboarding, surfing, salsa dancing and bungee-jumping his way around the country.

For him and his party, the serious business of holding Labour to account while consigning the Tories to irrelevance starts now.

Tory Frontbencher’s Attempt To Take Down Labour Over Pensioners’ Winter Turned Into Brutal Own Goal

Posted on 11/09/2024 by Boris Clair

Tory frontbencher Helen Whately accidentally attacked the Conservatives’ legacy rather than Labour’s latest policy during an TV appearance today.

Whately, currently the shadow transport secretary, attempted to take down the new government’s plan to restrict winter fuel allowance to just those on pension credit.

The controversial move means 10 million pensioners will no longer receive a payment of up to £300 to help cover their energy bills – and the Tories have repeatedly criticised Labour for it.

Whately tried to follow suit on Wednesday by saying how cold her own constituents are during the winter – even though Labour have only been in power since July.

The MP made the slip-up on BBC Politics Live, when presenter Jo Coburn seemed to unsettle Whately by asking her about the 2017 Conservative manifesto.

The Tory pledges at the time said winter fuel payments would be means-tested, and focused on the least well-off pensioners who are most at risk of fuel poverty, although the Conservatives eventually dropped the plan.

Coburn said: “It’s a little rich coming from Conservatives to say that this is the worst thing that has ever been done politically – to take the winter fuel payment away from better off pensioners.”

Whately, who was a minister in both Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson’s governments, seemed flustered by the remark, and tried to deflect by saying Labour had taken the means-testing to a very low level.

She then said: “There are 18,000 pensioners in my constituency who are losing their winter fuel allowance.

“Some of them have written to me, including one pensioner who only heats one room of their house through the winter and sleeps on their sofa because that’s in the one room that they heat in the winter.

“That pensioner is losing their winter fuel allowance.

“This is what this government is choosing to do, and to be clear it’s a choice.”

But Labour were only elected in July, after 14 years in opposition, and have not led the country through a winter yet.

Whately’s slip-up did not go unnoticed on X, of course, with many eagle-eyed viewers saying her anecdote revealed “more about life under 14 years of the Tories than it does under Labour”.

Her comments drew so much interest on the social media platform that her name even started trending.

Here’s a look at just a few of the posts calling out the former minister…

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Tory MP Helen Whately: “Some pensioners have written me incl. one who only heats 1 room of their house through the winter & sleeps on the sofa because that’s in the 1 room they heat”

Which says more about life under 14 years of the Tories than it does under Labour#PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/wZzvNdOr6w

— David (@Zero_4) September 11, 2024

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Tory MP Helen Whately: “Some pensioners have written me incl. one who only heats 1 room of their house through the winter & sleeps on the sofa because that’s in the 1 room they heat”

Which says more about life under 14 years of the Tories than it does under Labour#PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/wZzvNdOr6w

— David (@Zero_4) September 11, 2024

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‘…through the winter…’ says Helen Whately.
Now as much as I don’t agree with what Labour have done with this winter fuel payment, they have been in power since early July. She does realise who was in power for the previous 14 winters? She really is the idiot’s idiot https://t.co/AtAjZfaigK

— Laffs (@neillafferty) September 11, 2024

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She really is the idiot’s idiot https://t.co/AtAjZfaigK— Laffs (@neillafferty) September 11, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Laffs on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/neillafferty/status/1833878245051162821","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"66e1b3bae4b02be061c71bfe","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/torys-attempt-to-take-down-labour-over-pensioners-backfires_uk_66e1b3bae4b02be061c71bfe","entryTagsList":"labour-party,conservative-party,helen-whately","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb","clickToPlayPlayer":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","videoPagePlayer":"19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":8},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"66e1b3bae4b02be061c71bfe","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"labour party","slug":"labour-party","links":{"relativeLink":"news/labour-party","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/labour-party","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/labour-party"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Labour Party","slug":"labour-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/labour-party/"},{"name":"conservative party","slug":"conservative-party","links":{"relativeLink":"news/conservative-party","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Conservative Party","slug":"conservative-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party/"},{"name":"Helen Whately","slug":"helen-whately","links":{"relativeLink":"news/helen-whately","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/helen-whately","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/helen-whately"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/helen-whately/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

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‘…through the winter…’ says Helen Whately.
Now as much as I don’t agree with what Labour have done with this winter fuel payment, they have been in power since early July. She does realise who was in power for the previous 14 winters? She really is the idiot’s idiot https://t.co/AtAjZfaigK

— Laffs (@neillafferty) September 11, 2024

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Exactly, pensioners havent had a labour winter yet so she must be talking about tories

— William (@William77061827) September 11, 2024

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Exactly, pensioners havent had a labour winter yet so she must be talking about tories

— William (@William77061827) September 11, 2024

Fresh Fury Towards Tories As Unsettling Study Uncovers Corruption ‘Red Flags’ Over Covid Contracts

Posted on 09/09/2024 by Boris Clair

The Conservatives are facing renewed public fury after a study found some of the former government’s Covid contracts, worth more than £15 billion, raised corruption “red flags”.

The report from Transparency International UK looked into more than 5,000 contracts across 400 public bodies and discovered 135 high-risk contracts were worth investigation.

Those contracts alone were worth a collective value of £15.3bn – almost one in every three pounds spent on the pandemic – and were flagged because they raised three or more concerns over corruption.

“Most of these contracts exhibited red flags across multiple areas of risk – including those associated with the supplier profile, the procurement process and the contract outcomes – and often spanning all three. Some contracts displayed as many as eight red flags,” the researchers explained.

At least 28 of those deals – worth £4.1bn, almost a tenth of the total money spent on the pandemic response – went to firms with known connections to the Conservative party, Transparency International UK claimed.

Eight contracts allegedly went to suppliers which were had been established for no more than 100 days.

The department of health and social care also wrote off £14.9bn of public money over that two-year period, according to the report. That is the same amount as the government’s overall spend on PPE (personal protective equipment).

The government allegedly used a VIP lane to give 51 contracts priority, 24 of which were referred to by Tory politicians or their offices, too.

Transparency International UK said it is now calling for authorities to investigate the high-risk contracts.

In response to the findings, a Tory spokesperson referred to a National Audit Office report from November 2020 which found ministers had properly declared their interests.

They told the Guardian: “Government policy was in no way influenced by the donations the party received – they are entirely separate.”

The new Labour government is intending to appoint a Covid corruption commissioner to look at the £7.6bn of fraud recorded during the pandemic.

A Treasury spokesperson said this will help “get back the money that is owed to the British people”.

They added: “The commissioner will report directly to the chancellor, working with the secretary of state for health and social care, and their report will be presented to parliament for all members to see.”

The survey from Transparency International UK also sparked furious backlash across X, with users calling out the supposed corruption and “pure unadulterated greed”.

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In an international crisis with people becoming seriously ill and dying, an enormous disruption to everyone’s life in many countries, those involved in this saw an opportunity to make money. Thats what strikes me as the most appalling aspect of the corruption.

— lesleyb (@Lesley_London) September 9, 2024

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In an international crisis with people becoming seriously ill and dying, an enormous disruption to everyone’s life in many countries, those involved in this saw an opportunity to make money. Thats what strikes me as the most appalling aspect of the corruption.

— lesleyb (@Lesley_London) September 9, 2024

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That would be more than enough to keep the winter fuel payment if they could recover a fraction of it.

— Andrew Hobbs (@drewster_1965) September 9, 2024

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That would be more than enough to keep the winter fuel payment if they could recover a fraction of it.

— Andrew Hobbs (@drewster_1965) September 9, 2024

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Tory Covid contracts worth £15.3bn had corruption ‘red flags’, study finds.

Almost two-thirds of all high-value Covid contracts by value lacked competition.

Way to get rich in the UK – know someone in high places.

Money unlikely ever to be recovered.https://t.co/scJNmdDoC6

— Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) September 9, 2024

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Tory Covid contracts worth £15.3bn had corruption ‘red flags’, study finds.

Almost two-thirds of all high-value Covid contracts by value lacked competition.

Way to get rich in the UK – know someone in high places.

Money unlikely ever to be recovered.https://t.co/scJNmdDoC6

— Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) September 9, 2024

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NEWS
Covid contracts of £15bn had 3 or more CORRUPTION ‘red flags’
▫️£4.1 BILLION went to those politically connected to Tory party

Plus £30.7 BILLION in high value contracts LACKED COMPETITION👀

Corruption? You tell me
Follow @TransparencyUK https://t.co/Q1JRTDhodu

— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) September 9, 2024

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Carol Vorderman","author_url":"https://twitter.com/carolvorders","cache_age":86400,"description":"NEWSCovid contracts of £15bn had 3 or more CORRUPTION ‘red flags’▫️£4.1 BILLION went to those politically connected to Tory party Plus £30.7 BILLION in high value contracts LACKED COMPETITION👀 Corruption? You tell meFollow ⁦@TransparencyUK⁩ https://t.co/Q1JRTDhodu— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) September 9, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Carol Vorderman on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/carolvorders/status/1833083913096343947","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"66defca3e4b01b464f3e24f4","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/fury-towards-the-tories-as-study-examines-covid-contracts_uk_66defca3e4b01b464f3e24f4","entryTagsList":"boris-johnson,conservative-party,covid","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb","clickToPlayPlayer":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","videoPagePlayer":"19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"66defca3e4b01b464f3e24f4","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"boris johnson","slug":"boris-johnson","links":{"relativeLink":"news/boris-johnson","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/boris-johnson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/boris-johnson"},"relegenceId":4161435,"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Boris Johnson","slug":"boris-johnson","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/boris-johnson/"},{"name":"conservative party","slug":"conservative-party","links":{"relativeLink":"news/conservative-party","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party"},"relegenceId":3696340,"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Conservative Party","slug":"conservative-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/conservative-party/"},{"name":"covid","slug":"covid","links":{"relativeLink":"news/covid","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/covid","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/covid"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/covid/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

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NEWS
Covid contracts of £15bn had 3 or more CORRUPTION ‘red flags’
▫️£4.1 BILLION went to those politically connected to Tory party

Plus £30.7 BILLION in high value contracts LACKED COMPETITION👀

Corruption? You tell me
Follow @TransparencyUK https://t.co/Q1JRTDhodu

— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) September 9, 2024

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Only the most gullible could look at the Tory Covid response and conclude anything other than the Tory Govt’s primary objective was to take as much money as possible.

Pure unadulterated greed, as their fellow civilians were dying in their thousands.https://t.co/5QZ6DMeHnW

— Dr Dan Goyal (@danielgoyal) September 9, 2024

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Only the most gullible could look at the Tory Covid response and conclude anything other than the Tory Govt’s primary objective was to take as much money as possible.

Pure unadulterated greed, as their fellow civilians were dying in their thousands.https://t.co/5QZ6DMeHnW

— Dr Dan Goyal (@danielgoyal) September 9, 2024

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Shameful corruption and waste revealed by previous UK government during Covid pandemic peak “That we find multiple red flags in more than £15bn of contacts – amounting to a third of all such spending – points to more than coincidence or incompetence.” https://t.co/KovG36qTMw

— Prof Sheena Cruickshank (she/her) (@sheencr) September 9, 2024

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Shameful corruption and waste revealed by previous UK government during Covid pandemic peak “That we find multiple red flags in more than £15bn of contacts – amounting to a third of all such spending – points to more than coincidence or incompetence.” https://t.co/KovG36qTMw

— Prof Sheena Cruickshank (she/her) (@sheencr) September 9, 2024

Tories Turn Their Fire On Kemi Badenoch As Race To Be Party Leader Heats Up

Posted on 30/08/2024 by Boris Clair

The small rump of 121 Tory MPs who survived the party’s general election drubbing will return to Westminster on Monday with one item on their agenda – choosing the man or woman to take the fight to Keir Starmer for the next five years.

They will hardly have time to draw breath before the first ballot of the contest takes place 48 hours later, when one of the six candidates will be unceremoniously dumped by their colleagues.

Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, Priti Patel, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat await their verdict, which will be delivered by Bob Blackman, chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, in committee room 14.

Stride, a close ally of outgoing leader Rishi Sunak and the man who was rarely off our TV screens during the general election campaign, is seen as the most likely to fall at the first hurdle.

But many Tory MPs have told HuffPost UK that the outcome of Wednesday’s ballot is too close to call, and that Stride could well survive at the expense of a more fancied rival.

One former cabinet minister said: “I wouldn’t bet on Mel going in the first round. He’s got a hardcore of support in the parliamentary party and 15 or 20 MPs might be enough to get him through the first round.”

A veteran MP added: “I think Rob and Kemi will come first and second, but any one of the other four could go on Wednesday. It will be very close and a few votes here and there could swing it.”

Although Badenoch remains the bookies’ favourite to emerge victorious in the end, many MPs have been surprised by her relative anonymity over the summer.

While her five rivals have been criss-crossing the country meeting party members and doing media interviews, the shadow communities secretary has made a virtue of taking two weeks off to recharge her batteries.

“Articles portraying politicians negatively for having a family life have done much to toxify the environment for MPs – we can do better than this,” Badenoch said earlier this month as she defended her decision to go on holiday with her family while parliament is in recess.

In a quote almost designed to annoy her rivals, a Badenoch ally told Guido Fawkes: “The general election campaign was long and hard and painful. I seriously doubt any Tory members, candidates or MPs will seriously begrudge the next leader of the Conservative Party having some time away with her family.”

But one currently undecided Tory MP told HuffPost UK: “I think Kemi has under-performed so far. It’s been a very casual campaign. I think the story after Wednesday will be that she has performed below expectations.”

A shadow cabinet member said: “A few colleagues have expressed surprise at Kemi’s decision to go on holiday. We’re all knackered after the election, but if you want to be turning round the fortunes of the party you have to show that hunger.

“Some people are wondering whether she lacks the necessary drive. There have been questions about her work ethic in the past.

“The initial view was that Kemi would come racing out the blocks with big name endorsements to build up a lot of momentum, and there’s a lot of surprise that that hasn’t happened.”

But a Badenoch aide hit back: “The MPs complaining to you are backing other candidates and trying to make this a thing, but it isn’t.

“Most MPs understand the value of taking a break after the election, and clearly the members care more about getting the best candidate rather than the one who did the most media in August. In the only truly independent poll by YouGov Kemi was the outright leader by a distance.”

“I think Rob and Kemi will come first and second, but any one of the other four could go on Wednesday.”

In that poll of Tory members, carried out a week ago, Badenoch had the backing of 24%, with Tugendhat second on 16%, Cleverly on 14%, Jenrick on 12%, Patel on 11% and Stride on just 2%.

Nevertheless, Jenrick – viewed as Badenoch’s main rival in the battle to be the standard bearer for the Tory right – has won plaudits among MPs for his campaign so far.

“I think Rob has got off to the best start, but it’s a long race,” said one backbencher.

“He’s definitely run the most professional, switched-on campaign, there’s no doubt about that.

“I would say at this moment, he is the frontrunner of six. But of course, that doesn’t mean he would be the frontrunner if he makes it to the final two.”

Kemi Badenoch is the bookies' favourite to be next Tory leader. — Kemi Badenoch is the bookies’ favourite to be next Tory leader.

The five who survive the first ballot on Wednesday will be reduced to four in another ballot of Tory MPs the week after.

They will then take part in a leadership beauty contest at the party’s annual conference in Birmingham at the end of September, after which MPs will whittle them down to the final two, with Tory members then having the final say on who should be the party’s new leader.

He or she will be announced on November 2, after which they will take on the Herculean task of trying to take the Conservatives back to power in 2029.

Whoever is chosen to succeed Rishi Sunak will be tasked with turning the Conservatives into a united, competent opposition who can convincingly present themselves to voters as a coherent, alternative government in five years’ time.

The evidence of the last few years, in which the warring party has burned through four leaders and suffered its worst ever election defeat, suggest the chances of success are remote.

But one Badenoch backer told HuffPost UK: “I actually think the leadership contest so far has been quite a civil affair, which suggests that the party is ready to finally come together whoever wins. But time will tell.”

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