Following the Prime Minister’s resignation yesterday, I am sharing an article I wrote in today’s Daily Telegraph, which sets out my thoughts on the leadership and future of the Conservative Party.
The Tory Party won't survive with tribal gangs who back a leader just to get a Cabinet job
The parliamentary process to select a new prime minister is as much an opportunity for the Conservative Party as it is a challenge. Get the decision right and we will have placed the country on a much better path, with a prime minister who can grip the economic crisis immediately and restore faith in the British economy.
Get it wrong, however, and it is difficult to see how we will be forgiven by our constituents, who face the pressures of rising mortgages, extraordinary inflation and an unprecedented cost of living crisis.
So we have to be grown up about this. There is no time, no capacity, and no patience for a divisive and drawn-out process. Of course there will be a vote by the parliamentary party – as was confirmed on Thursday – and if more than one candidate emerges the issue may have to go to our members in the country via an expedited process. Of course our members should be heard and I will be listening very carefully to the views of mine in the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield over the weekend. I’m glad that the process will be short whatever happens, with our new leader selected next week.
However, it looks very much as if there are three key people in the room: Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor. While Mr Hunt has said he will not run for the leadership, the continuity of his position should be underlined to maintain confidence in the markets. These three should reassure the party that the next cabinet will be one of all the talents.
MPs should then give their loyalty to whoever emerges out of their discussions, for the sake of our great party. If these three senior Conservatives are able to command the support of the majority of the parliamentary party – and I think they can – then their agreement would be no less democratic a process than the more drawn-out option earlier this year. Moreover, between these three politicians there lies a wide range of Conservative opinion, from economics to social matters. The sooner they can agree, the better chance the wider party has of bouncing back.
There is an important lesson for my colleagues from the last few weeks. We cannot go on establishing tribal gangs who support a particular leader so that they get a job in the cabinet or government regardless of their abilities. This unedifying way of conducting politics is harming the business of government and indeed the country.
It is time to end the self indulgence and unite behind the leader who can best deliver a competent and credible administration. As for the “Bring Back Boris” question, the answer is: thank you so much for getting Brexit done, but no thank you. We need to look to the future now and not dwell in the past. It would not be possible to have as leader someone who induced the resignations of more than 50 government ministers, and who currently faces an extremely serious parliamentary investigation.
Frankly, it is time to get real. We should coalesce around a new leader as quickly as possible. Conservative party members, however disappointed they may be by the outcome of the Truss government, expect us to focus on the country and get on with it. They know that it is the parliamentary party which understands the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates better than anyone, and they would want to minimise the division caused by constant rounds of votes with all the plotting that accompanies them.
The Conservative Party is widely regarded as being in the last chance saloon. But throughout our history we have fought back from crises successfully when we put the interests of our constituents and the national interest front and centre.
My decision on the Leadership of the Conservative Party
Following discussions with senior Conservatives in the Royal Town during the course of today, I have decided to support Rishi Sunak to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. Many of you will recall that I supported him in the summer. Please see my overall thinking in the article above.
Chancellor’s Statement
On Monday I welcomed the new Chancellor, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt’s necessary and wise statement. I asked for his assurance that the Government would work in lockstep with the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his statement, which is both wise and necessary. There will be great relief across the House that the markets have responded to the statement positively, not least thanks to his economic leadership and political skill. In the run-up to 31 October, will he reassure us and the markets that the Treasury, the OBR and the independent Bank of England will work closely together and in total lockstep?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Jeremy Hunt)
I absolutely want to give my right hon. Friend that reassurance and I thank him, as someone who has enormous experience of how the City works, for the advice that he gave me over the weekend. One of the best things about the economic structures that we have is the interaction between institutions that have independence and that are able to give independent advice and Treasury and the Government. It has helped to create stability and I hope that what I have said today will bolster that further.
Prime Minister Questions
On Wednesday I asked the Prime Minister to reconfirm the Government’s commitment to British soft power and overseas development which is in our national interest.
When my right hon. Friend was Foreign Secretary, I know that she was acutely aware of the importance of British soft power acting in our national interest. Will she confirm today the promise we both made in 2010, when the Conservative Government first came into office, that she will not balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world? (901728)
The Prime Minister (Elizabeth Truss)
I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for the fantastic work that he did as International Development Secretary. I am proud that we have rebalanced our international development budget to focus more on humanitarian aid and more on women and girls. No doubt more details will be set out in due course.
Meeting with Secretary of State for Levelling Up
Earlier in the week I met the Levelling Up Secretary, Simon Clarke to speak about the work of the All-Party Group (APPG) on Levelling Up Birmingham. He was extremely interested and supportive of our work. I assured him that West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, and the Leader of Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward, are working together constructively and he agreed that positive cross-party cooperation is clearly the most sensible way forward. Dehenna Davison MP, who is the Minister for Levelling Up, has also accepted my request that she take a particular interest in the work of the APPG and I will be liaising with her most immediately to make a visit here in order to see what we are doing in the West Midlands.
I have also written a letter to the Secretary of State about Investment Zones in the West Midlands, a copy of which is attached here.
Fracking
On Wednesday I voted against a motion that would have passed control of the House of Commons Order Paper to the opposition. The subject matter of the motion was fracking. While I did not support the motion, I am opposed to fracking unless such activity would have local support. I am not aware of any support for fracking in the Royal Town. So I have concluded that in Sutton Coldfield there is no local consent. Fracking is a local matter, which must be decided by local communities – as the Government has concluded.
Plantsbrook School Visit to Parliament
I was very pleased to meet pupils and staff from Plantsbrook school during their visit to Parliament this week. I talked about life as an MP and my work on behalf of my constituents in the Royal Town. I then attempted to answer their spirited questions (always the most invigorating part of such meetings!) and invited pupils to get in touch with me with any concerns they have on either local or national matters.
Free Vote on Buffer Zones
There was a free vote in the House of Commons this week on whether or not to create buffer zones around abortion clinics in order to maintain a distance between the clinics and anti-abortion protestors. I voted in favour of these buffer zones because while I believe in the right of people to protest on their strongly held views, I also believe in a woman’s right to access abortions safely and without harassment.
A free vote is given typically to decide matters of conscience, which often involve deeply held ethical or religious convictions. On these occasions political parties stay neutral and the issue is not ‘whipped’ along party lines, meaning that MPs are literally ‘free’ to vote in line with their personal principles and beliefs.
Birmingham University
On Thursday I had the pleasure of speaking to undergraduates at Birmingham University about the Conservative Government’s record on international development and foreign assistance since 2010.
When I was Secretary State for International Development, one of my key priorities was to shift the way we approach and understand aid: it is not an end in itself, but a means for communities to achieve self-sufficiency. While it is of course necessary to provide the poorest in the world with vital life-saving support in the short-term, it is the private sector that holds the key to people’s long-term prosperity. I underlined that prosperity over there will have positive knock-on effects here in the UK. We help people to help themselves - and this ultimately helps us.
Meeting at Wylde Green United Reform Church
I had the pleasure of holding a meeting with constituents at the United Reform Church. On the heels of the Prime Minister’s resignation, naturally there were many questions about the future leadership and direction of the country - not least given the increasing cost of living crisis, rising mortgage rates and inflationary pressures. A range of issues were raised including fracking, support for the most vulnerable and taxation.
I’d like to thank Reverend Chris Dowd for his kind invitation and arranging the event.
Bereavement Coaching
Today I met Lucy Cole at Love Life Coaching, which offers grief support services in the Royal Town, the opening of which was performed by the Deputy Mayor, Jane Mosson.
I was very pleased to hear that they are receiving support from the Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, which means that eligible local people within Royal Sutton Coldfield can access support free of charge through referral from doctors and schools. Their services work on the effect of grief and trauma, including mental health conditions such as depression.
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
In pursuit of our levelling Up agenda in the royal town and across the west midlands I visited the Edgbaston cricket ground, the home of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club and held a meeting with the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer about their significant plans both for enhancing this brilliant regional asset, much loved by many in the Royal Town, and securing major progress on levelling up in this deprived area of Birmingham with specific needs and requirements.
This is another example of regenerational activity which will benefit from the West Midlands Combined Authority and our mayor Andy Street, Birmingham City council and the Government working closely together to deliver the levelling up agenda.
Speed cameras
New average speed check cameras are now in operation between Bassett Pole and Belfry Golf Club. These are in place for traffic calming / road safety reasons. So beware!
RMT Union Strike Action
The RMT Union has announced strike action for Avanti West Coast Train Managers on 22 October and 6 November. On these dates, customers should expect the timetable and operating hours to be reduced significantly, and note that services that do run are expected to be busy.
You are advised to check your entire journey before you travel. For more information about the impact of this strike action on Avanti West Coast’s services, visit: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/strike
Trent Valley Engineering Works
Network Rail are carrying out major upgrades on the West Coast main line between Rugby and Stafford. As a result of this, the railway will be closed between Stafford and Rugby for nine days in October between Saturday 22 and Sunday 30 meaning all services will need to be routed via Birmingham.
They will also be carrying out upgrades every Sunday from 16 October until 27 November. Avanti West Coast will be operating an amended timetable during these times and journeys to and from London Euston will take 60 – 90 minutes longer than normal.
Further details on the impact of the works along with the amended timetables as they become available can be found on our website at the following address - https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/plannedengineering-works/trent-valley-engineering-works