Category Archives: conservative party

Tory Backlash After ‘Shameful’ Post Editing Sadiq Khan Interview On Anti-Semitism

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The Conservative Party has faced a fierce backlash after sharing an edited clip of Sadiq Khan making a slip-up during a TV interview.

The Tories posted a doctored video of an interview with the Mayor of London to make it look as if he says Labour is an “anti-Semitic” party.

The Labour politician was addressing questions raised by his party for suspending two by-election candidates for anti-Israel comments.

Questioned by a Sky News presenter, Khan said: “As far as I’m concerned, that sort of language isn’t acceptable, and it certainly shouldn’t be acceptable in a party like mine, that is proud to be both anti-racist and anti-Semitic.” He quickly corrected himself, adding: “I beg your pardon, tackling anti-Semitism.”

On the Tory party’s official X account, the interview was shortened to make Khan look bad – prompting an immediate backlash.

Former Tory MP Nick De Bois said: “For the avoidance of doubt – this is a shameful tweet from Conservatives. The editing of the original clip is deceitful and this tweet should be taken down.”

A community note added to the original Tory tweet said: “This clip has been cut short. Sadiq Khan misspoke and immediately corrected himself to say ‘tackling anti-Semitism’.”

Mike Katz, national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, replied to the Conservatives’ tweet, posting: “Shame on you Conservatives. Sadiq misspoke and instantly corrected himself.

“You cynically cut the video for a cheap political advantage. The Jewish community is tired of being used as a political football. Stop it.”

Rabbi David Mason, executive director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, highlighted how figures released today by the Community Security Trust charity showed “a massive rise in real anti-Semitism affecting the Jewish community”.

In a reply to the Tory tweet, he added: “You use a clear misspeaking to turn our community and anti-Semitism into a political football.

“The mayor of London has looked to bring people together. Stop sowing division.”

This week, the party withdrew support for Azhar Ali, who is standing in Rochdale, after he said Israel deliberately allowed 1,400 people to be killed on its own soil on October 7.

The Mail on Sunday reported Ali said Israel did so in order to give the “green light” to invade of Gaza, when at the meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party.

Graham Jones, a former Labour MP, was “administratively suspended” from the party after audio emerged appearing to show he said “fucking Israel” at the same meeting, while also allegedly suggesting that British people who volunteer to fight with the Israeli Defence Forces should be “locked up”.

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Done Deal: Despite Labour’s Latest U-Turn, Is The Election Result Already Decided?

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Rishi Sunak has apparently decided that the general election will be in October, rather than November.

If so, it will surely be the first recorded example of a man breaking into a jog on his way to the gallows.

After another tumultuous week in Westminster, the fundamentals remain the same – Keir Starmer is heading for Downing Street.

The Labour leader has endured an uncomfortable few days, culminating in yet another U-turn, this time on the party’s previously-flagship policy of spending £28 billion a year on green energy projects.

And yet, all the available evidence suggests that the British public are determined to boot the Tories out and install Starmer as the next prime minister.

Two more polls published yesterday confirmed Labour remains at least 20 points ahead of the Conservatives, while numerous have emphasised voters’ desire for a change of government.

This is thanks in no small part to Sunak’s own troubles, which were once again on full display over the past week.

From cackhandedly agreeing to a £1,000 bet on Rwanda flights with Piers Morgan to making a joke about trans people in the presence of Brianna Ghey’s mother, the PM has merely confirmed what many in his party have already concluded – the guy is a loser.

“It’s like he’s a reverse King Midas – everything he touches turns to shit,” said one colleague.

Another Tory aide told HuffPost UK: “It’s just the dying days now.”

Keiran Pedley of pollsters Ipsos UK said the Tories are “running out of time” to turn things around.

“There’s clearly been no sign of a shift in the polls since the New Year, which the Conservatives would have hoped for,” he said.

“Around 7 in 10 voters tell us it’s time for a change at the next election. What they’ve got to do is change people’s minds about it being time for a change, which is not an easy thing to do.”

Pedley added: “The Conservatives will hope that next month’s Budget will be a setpiece moment that can turn things around, but they’ve also got by-elections and the local elections coming up which could make the situation even worse.”

If Labour really is heading inexorably towards victory in the general election, the party’s agonies over dumping the £28 billion green pledge have been instructive on how it might act when it’s in power.

Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves put on a united front in parliament on Thursday afternoon as they briefed political journalists on what was, by any measure, a particularly embarrassing and messy climbdown.

It has been obvious for weeks that the policy was heading for the knackers’ yard, and yet Labour’s top two seemed to be at odds over it. While Reeves would not even repeat the figure, Starmer was still mentioning it on Tuesday.

The Labour leader attempted to laugh off any suggestions that the pair were split, insisting Reeves’ only quibble with him was that he talked about football too much.

But his notorious thin skin was in evidence when he was asked by HuffPost UK if the Tories were right to call him “Mr Flip-Flop”.

He said: “This is ridiculous. I came into this place pretty late in life. In the real world, where I worked until I got here, everybody I worked with adjusted their positions when the circumstances changed and that was thought to be plain common sense. In fact, it would be pretty daft if you didn’t.

“This is the only place I’ve ever known where not adjusting your position to circumstances is supposed to be a great virtue. I don’t work in that way.”

One usually-loyal MP observed: “What does he mean by ‘in the real world’? He has no respect for politics or politicians.”

The behind-the-scenes wrangling over the green policy appears to be a symptom of a power struggle involving Morgan McSweeney, Labour’s national campaign director, and Sue Gray, Starmer’s chief of staff.

Matthew Doyle, Labour’s amiable director of communications, has even been caught in the crossfire, with some blaming him for the U-turn.

One frontbencher described it as the “a big boy did it and ran away” school of political accountability.

“There’s some crazy briefing and counter-briefing going around,” said a senior insider. “They’re at war and they’re not even in government yet.

“Keir and Rachel and their people being at odds, and all the sub-plots and dramas, is a massive moment.

“Once you do it the first time, it’s easier to do it again and again. It will have consequences in government.”

At the end of a difficult week, Starmer can console himself with the fact that it appears nothing can be done to knock his journey to No.10 off course.

But he’ll also know that things will only get harder for him once he gets there.

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Tory Chair Reveals His ‘Frustration’ With Party Colleagues Over Conservative In-Fighting

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Tory Party chair Richard Holden has made clear his his frustration with his warring Conservative colleagues in a revealing TV interview.

In a moment when the ITV camera crew were filming cutaway shots, Holden was asked how he felt about the other Tory MPs who have called for PM Rishi Sunak to step down or who have called for the party to change direction.

The party chairman said this was “always frustrating”.

“People are always going to have different opinions,” he said. “Usually, it’s best for those opinions to be expressed with other colleagues in the most constructive manner possible, and I’m not sure all colleagues have always done that.”

ITV News’ political correspondent Tom Sheldrick then interrupted Holden to remind him, “your microphone’s on for this”.

Holden went on: “All colleagues want the same outcomes,” referring to migration and economic policies.

“The truth is there will always be slight disagreements about how to get there. It’s always important for all colleagues to remember what unites us, which are those fundamental things.”

Watch the exchange here:

Elsewhere in the interview, Holden – MP for North West Durham – furiously defended his loyalty to the North East region.

But he refused to say why he is not standing in any of the four local constituencies his current seat will be split into after the boundary review.

Sheldrick said: “It’s about you trying to find a safer seat, isn’t it, somewhere else in the country for yourself, rather than being loyal to the North East?”

Holden then energetically jabbed a map of the region and said: “No, I am bloody loyal to the North East, Tom.

“I care about this constituency. I fought for them every day since 2019.

“They’ve never had constituency MP who works harder. I’m up there still, even doing this [party chair] job, every week, working seven days a week, for the people of North West Durham, and I’m going to continue right to the day of the next general election.”

More than 50 Conservative MPs have already announced that they will not be standing at the next general election in a mass exodus.

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Rishi Sunak Clings On As Tory MPs Lose The Plot (Again)

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If a Hollywood scriptwriter came up with the storyline, it would be instantly dismissed as too far-fetched.

Even House of Cards, the seminal tale of political intrigue at the heart of power – written by a Tory peer, incidentally – did not go this far.

Incredibly, there is a growing number within the Conservative Party who believe that installing the fourth prime minister of this parliament is a desirable state of affairs.

The alternative, the anti-Rishi Sunak plotters believe, is to stand back and watch as Keir Starmer sweeps to power with a Tony Blair-style Commons majority.

Simon Clarke, the former cabinet minister and a man who backed both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss to the hilt, spoke for many Conservatives this week when he said the PM must be ousted to prevent the party being “massacred” at the general election.

The Middlesborough South and East Cleveland MP, who was Sunak’s number 2 at the Treasury in Johnson’s government, told the BBC: “No one likes the guy who’s shouting ‘iceberg’. But I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that.”

The backlash against Clarke by Tory MPs was swift and brutal, but that does not mean he is a lone wolf. The plotters, who include right-wing peer Lord Frost, believe time is on their side.

Upcoming by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood are not expected to go well for the Conservatives, with May’s local elections across England and Wales also set to be a bloodbath for the party.

Faced with such stark evidence of Sunak’s electoral toxicity, the plotters believe, enough Tory MPs would be willing to take the radical step of ditching yet another leader in order to potentially save their seats at the general election.

The anti-Sunak faction were bolstered by a mega-poll last week which suggested Labour are on course for a landslide.

The survey of 14,000 people by YouGov was commissioned by yet another Tory grouping, the Conservative Britain Alliance, paid for by persons unknown. We do know, however, that one of those involved was Will Dry, Sunak’s former pollster.

He quit No.10 before Christmas and this week said the Tories are “heading for the most almighty of defeats” with his former boss at the helm.

The smart money at Westminster is still on Sunak somehow keeping the Tory show on the road until his preferred election date of November 14, not least because his enemies can’t agree on who out of Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Penny Mordaunt and Rob Jenrick should replace him.

One Conservative insider told HuffPost UK: “Tory leaders are always vulnerable – never dismiss the sheer lunacy of some MPs.

“However, I think most will take the view that Rishi is the PM we have and we have to fight hard to retain as many seats as we can. To change leader again isn’t going to shift the polls by magic, if anything it will anger the electorate even more. It’s simply pie in the sky stuff to think otherwise.

“And no one can decide which person is really the answer – each faction has its own ‘favourite’ and is busy telling all the other factions they are wrong. Hardly coherent or joined up, is it?”

Sunak may well end up being saved by the sheer ineptitude of his opponents.

“To nick a phrase from Blackadder – a war hasn’t been fought this badly since Olaf the Hairy, high chief of all the vikings, accidentally ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside,” one source said.

A senior MP described the attempts to oust Sunak as “more plop than plot”, while others it is all really about positioning for the leadership race which will follow a thumping Tory election defeat.

Labour, meanwhile, are happy to hold the jackets on the sidelines as the Conservative civil war continues.

Intriguingly, some around Starmer remain convinced that Sunak will end up calling a May election – a contest which, on current polling numbers, Labour would win easily.

“The longer this farce goes on, the more obvious it is that the country needs change,” said one senior Labour source.

“There’s obviously no complacency, but we are ready for whenever he calls it.”

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Tories Heading For An Electoral ‘Iceberg’ Under Rishi Sunak, Says Simon Clarke

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The Tories are heading towards an electoral “iceberg” unless Rishi Sunak is dumped as leader, Simon Clarke has warned.

The former cabinet minister – who last night called for the prime minister to be ousted by his MPs – said the Conservatives are heading for “a shattering defeat” unless they change course.

His comments, in an interview with the BBC, is a further challenge to Sunak’s authority as he struggles to turn around his party’s fortunes.

In an article in today’s Daily Telegraph, Clarke said the Tories were “meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation” with Sunak at the helm.

That led to a furious backlash from senior Conservatives, including former ministers David Davis, Liam Fox and Priti Patel.

But Clarke told the BBC he was undeterred and re-iterated his desire to see Sunak booted out of No.10 before the general election.

He said: “I’ve incurred some pretty hostile comments from a number of people and look, you know, in every since I’m a big guy, I can take that and I totally respect the strong views that something like this evokes, right.

“No one likes the guy who’s shouting ‘iceberg’. But I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that.”

The former Treasury secretary added: “I want a Conservative government that delivers for communities like mine and for our country. And I really worry that we are on course for a shattering defeat.”

Clarke said it was “a moment of decision for the Conservative Party” and pointed out that the opinion polls had got even worse for the Tories under Sunak.

“There is really compelling evidence that we are on course for what I would say is an avoidable catastrophe,” he said.

“I think there is a very real risk that because we’re not connecting with the British public because, frankly, the prime minister is not listening to the things that the public really wants us to address, in particular on migration, that we end up with a very serious election defeat and then a decade of decline or more under Keir Starmer.”

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Simon Clarke Calls On Rishi Sunak To Be Ousted As Prime Minister

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Simon Clarke has called on Rishi Sunak to be ousted as prime minister.

The former cabinet minister said the Tories “will be massacred” if Sunak leads them into the general election.

Clarke – a close ally of former PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss – is the first Conservative MP to break ranks and call for Sunak to go.

His dramatic intervention comes after a succession of opinion polls since Christmas showed Labour’s already-huge lead over the Tories getting even bigger.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Clarke said: “I know many MPs are afraid another change of leader would look ridiculous.

“But what could be more ridiculous than meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation because we were not willing to listen to what the public are telling us so clearly?”

He added: “We have a clear choice. Stick with Rishi Sunak, take the inevitable electoral consequences, and give the Left a blank cheque to change Britain as they see fit.

“Or we can change leader, and give our country and party a fighting chance.”

Clarke was one of 11 Tory rebels who last week voted against Sunak’s flagship Rwanda bill, saying it would not work.

A Conservative Party spokesperson told The Sun: “This is a self-indulgent attempt to undermine the government at a critical moment for the country.

“He may claim to be helping the party but the only person he is doing any favours for is Sir Keir Starmer.”

Senior Tory MPs rallied round Sunak in the wake of Clarke’s criticism.

Former Brexit secretary David David said: “This is getting silly. The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”

Former defence secretary Liam Fox said: “This is not the time for self indulgence and tribalism in the party.

“Those who have an agenda to destabilise the government in an election year should understand the consequences. Having been on the front bench for all 13 years in opposition, it is a miserable place. Be warned.”

Meanwhile, ex-home secretary Priti Patel said: “At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country.

“Engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence only serves our opponents, it’s time to unite and get on with the job.”

Clarke’s comments come just a week after No.10 election guru Isaac Levido told Tory MPs to unite or lose the next election.

Speaking at a meeting of the backbench 1922 committeem, he said: “Let me be clear. Divided parties fail. It’s time to get serious – I am fighting to win this election, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it was possible. We all need to be be fighting to win this election.”

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said: “Labour will focus on serving the British people whilst the Tories form another circular firing squad.

“There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth prime minister without even giving voters a say.

“The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis.

“People are sick and tired of this never ending Conservative Party soap opera. It’s time for Rishi Sunak to give voters the chance to put an end to this farce and call a general election.”

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Rishi Sunak Sees Off Tory Rebels As Commons Backs His Rwanda Plan

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MPs have backed Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan as a threatened Tory rebellion fizzled out.

The House of Commons voted 320 to 276 to support the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which the prime minister says will see deportation flights to the east African country finally get off the ground.

The result will come as a huge relief to the PM, who last night suffered his biggest rebellion since entering Downing Street.

Around 60 MPs defied the Tory whip to back amendments aimed at toughening up the legislation to allow ministers to ignore European court rulings and make it more difficult for asylum seekers to appeal against deportation.

However, just 11 of them voted against the entire bill this evening, handing the government a comfortable majority of 44.

The bill will now go to the House of Lords, where it may be amended by opponents of the Rwanda policy, before it returns to the Commons.

That could potentially set up a fresh battle after the rebel Tories said they would then table a fresh set of amendments to toughen it up again.

Sunak hopes that once it is on the statute books, the new law will allow flights to Rwanda to take off in the spring and form a key part of his pledge to “stop the boats” carrying asylum seekers across the Channel.

However, any deportations are certain to be appealed against, teeing up yet more legal wrangling which would delay the flights once again.

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said: Tonight is no victory for Rishi Sunak, no matter how he might try to twist it.

“Days of Conservative chaos and infighting has left the prime minister’s authority shot. He has proved again and again that he cannot lead his own party, let alone the country.”

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Rishi Sunak’s Poll Guru Tells Tory MPs To Unite Or Lose Election

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Rishi Sunak’s election guru has warned Tory MPs they need to “get serious” or face being kicked out of government.

Isaac Levido warned that voters would punish the warring party after a new poll showed Labour are on course for a landslide victory later this year.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by Tory donors calling themselves the Conservative British Alliance said Keir Starmer would enter No.10 with a 120-seat majority.

At a special meeting of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers this evening, Levido accused those behind the poll of “throwing in the towel”.

He said: “Let me be clear. Divided parties fail. It’s time to get serious – I am fighting to win this election, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it was possible. We all need to be be fighting to win this election.

“People do not want Starmer. They are looking for reasons to vote for us. We must not give them any more reasons not to.”

His comments came as the prime minister faces a growing Tory rebellion over his flagship Rwanda bill.

Two deputy party chairmen, Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith, risked the sack by announcing they will support rebel amendments aimed at making the legislation tougher.

Up to 70 Tory MPs are set to back the proposed changes, which would allow ministers to ignore rulings by the European Court of Human Rights.

Earlier, former cabinet minister Simon Clarke said the bill was currently “riddled with holes” and he would vote against it unless it is changed.

The bill returns to the Commons on Tuesday and Wednesday for MPs to debate and vote on it.

Clarke, who served under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, said: “I have been clear with the whips that if the bill goes forward unamended, I will be unable to offer it my support.

Sunak today insisted he was willing to talk to the rebels, but stopped short of saying he would accept any of their amendments.

He told GB News: “I’ve always said that I’m happy to have a dialogue with anyone who thinks they might have an idea that will improve the effectiveness of the bill whilst making sure that it’s still legally compliant and maintains Rwanda’s participation in the scheme.

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Exclusive: Rishi Sunak Accused Of ‘Stuffing’ Public Meeting With Tory Members

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Senior Tories were among the audience at an event billed as a public Q&A with Rishi Sunak, HuffPost UK has learned.

Councillors and party candidates had prime seats at this morning’s ‘PM Connect’ at Accrington Stanley Football Club’s ground in Lancashire.

Some of them could clearly be seen on the front row of the audience as the PM took questions from those present.

A Labour source said: “Our unelected prime minister first refuses to name the date he’ll hold an election. Now he’s stuffing voter events with his supporters. Rishi Sunak is running scared.

“The Tory record is a crashed economy, which left working people saddled with rocketing mortgages and bills. It’s no wonder he won’t face the electorate.

“No amount of stage management can cover up the public desire for change. It’s the power of the vote that Rishi fears.”

But a Conservative spokesperson said: “Around 200 people attended PM connect in Accrington this morning.

“It is hardly surprising that a small number of elected councillors were in attendance along with local candidates who wanted to see the PM.”

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Tories Choose Partner Of Disgraced Ex-MP Peter Bone To Replace Him In Parliament

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The Conservative Party has chosen the partner of former Tory MP Peter Bone to replace him in Wellingborough.

Bone was sacked by his constituents after a Westminster sleaze probe found him guilty of bullying and sexually harassing a member of his staff.

A by-election is now due to be held in the seat to replace him as the constituency’s MP.

Tory chairman Richard Holden announced on Sunday that the party had picked Helen Harrison, a Conservative councillor, as its candidate.

Bone, who was first elected in 2005, retained his seat in 2019 as the Tory MP with a majority of 18,540.

But the veteran backbencher was stripped of the Tory whip by the party following the report into his behaviour which saw him suspended from the Commons for six weeks in October.

That led a recall petition in his constituency which saw more than 13.2% of registered voters choose to dump him – higher than the 10% threshold needed to trigger a crunch by-election.

The by-election is another major headache for Rishi Sunak as Labour will be hopeful of pulling off a shock victory.

Westminster’s behaviour watchdog, the Independent Expert Panel, found that Bone had committed “many varied acts of bullying” and “sexual misconduct” against the staff member in 2012 and 2013.

“The bullying involved violence, shouting and swearing, mocking, belittling and humiliating behaviour, and ostracism,” the IEP said.

“This wilful pattern of bullying also included an unwanted incident of sexual misconduct, when the complainant was trapped in a room with the respondent in a hotel in Madrid.

“This was a deliberate and conscious abuse of power using a sexual mechanism: indecent exposure.”

Bone appealed the IEP’s initial decision, but it was dismissed.

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