Forum Topic

Conservative Leader Candidates

"Candidates to replace Liz Truss as Tory leader will need at least 100 nominations from Conservative MPs, 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady has said.This will rule out a number of candidates from running, and means the maximum number of people able to stand is three."https://news.sky.com/story/candidates-to-replace-liz-truss-as-tory-leader-will-need-at-least-100-nominations-12725720Is this a covert tactic to prevent Boris from winning? Or. Will enough MPs hold their noses (I hate that phrase) and vote for Boris because he is their best bet to hold onto their seats?

Sue Hammond ● 1201d31 Comments

Fascinating to look at Johnson using the psychologist Robert Hare's test of psychopathy.  Here's the list: Item 1: Glibness/superficial charm Item 2: Grandiose sense of self-worth Item 3: Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom Item 4: Pathological lying Item 5: Conning/manipulative Item 6: Lack of remorse or guilt Item 7: Shallow affect Item 8: Callous/lack of empathy Item 9: Parasitic lifestyle Item 10: Poor behavioral controls Item 11: Promiscuous sexual behavior Item 12: Early behavior problems Item 13: Lack of realistic long-term goals Item 14: Impulsivity Item 15: Irresponsibility Item 16: Failure to accept responsibility for own actions Item 17: Many short-term marital relationships Item 18: Juvenile delinquency Item 19: Revocation of conditional release Item 20: Criminal versatility Others may difffer in the exact details, but I estimate that Johnson scores 37 out of 44, when a score of 30+ indicates the person is a psychopath. This is a pretty powerful pointer to the need to keep Johnson well away from the premiership. How would you score him? Try it for yourself here: https://psychology-tools.com/test/pcl-22

Richard Carter ● 1200d

Well, given she seemed to be made persona non grata in the Conservative parliamentary party because of her Brexit stance it's no surprise if she finds it difficult to support him, is it?Surely,  Conservative party members know more about that?

Michael Ixer ● 1200d

I agree that Justine has always seen a strong proponent of levelling up but I always thought she disliked Boris, but perhaps I was wrong? Whatever, it is laudable that she can rise above her personal feelings and endorse him regardless. Shame she cannot do it officially.

Sue Hammond ● 1200d

Justine serious believes and works for levelling up. I guess if she believes Johnson is the best candidate for that she'll support him. My issue is that he's lied so many times that even if he has that as an aim I don't think he's taken the Conservative party with him? Otherwise, why are so many in jobs like caring and nursing, etc reduced to going to food banks? 😶

Michael Ixer ● 1200d

I am not surprised at all, Sue.Justine Greening always fought for social mobility.  Following her expulsion of the HoC by "lovely" Boris (together with other 20 duly elected representatives), the term was changed to levelling-up for the 2019 manifesto....

Ivonne Holliday ● 1201d

3 big beasts have so far come out and publicly said they would back Boris and it is reported that there are 36 in total so far but what politicians say and actually do are often very different.😼 Incidentally did anyone else hear what Justine Greening had to say on LBC this morning?  I am paraphrasing but when asked about the leadership candidates she wouldn't actually give a straight answer but said it should be someone who believes in levelling up the country as in Boris' mandate.  She obviously doesn't have a vote in the ballot but I was surprised to hear her opaque backing of Boris ...

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

Obviously Maxine I don't want that to happen even though it might.  I want Boris to come storming triumphantly back into Office. Sorry.😽

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

@Sue. I don't hate Johnson (don't really hate anyone,  although Putin and Trump are pushing that). If I met Johnson at a social do I suspect we might be able to laugh and take the p*as out of each other. I'm just not happy with him leading and representing the UK.Having a drink with some city friends, it's one of their 70th Birthday, and some take the view he's  a rogue but isn't everyone on the make. Not sure everyone agrees with that but we can agree to differ cause the wine and food's good.

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

Boris mumbling rubbish at the dispatch box was the biggest yawn ever.

Lucille Grant ● 1201d

I am going to be truly nasty, but yes, many people would have enjoyed watching the clown......

Ivonne Holliday ● 1201d

@MichaelYour visceral hatred of Boris would not change whatever he said or did.  However I would bet that his presence at the despatch box resulted in many  more people watching and becoming much more interested in politics which can only be a good thing.

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

Sue, dire in the sense that most  of the time he just answered questions with rubbish.  It might have been amusing rubbish (with a few lies intermingled), but not really of value to PMQ and the parliamentary process.

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

I agree basically Michael, apart from PMQs which is sooooo boring without him.

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

Sue. He must be torn between massaging his ego with the power of (possibly) being PM again and topping up his coffers to support his multiple families. What sounds dire at PMQs probably seems quite amusing at a actuarial conference after a bottle of wine - or two :-) Still, at least after dinner speaking doesn't hurt anyone …

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

Kinda with you there. Boris is chaotic and while some may like him we need stability and order and he doesn’t do that.

Maxine Campbell ● 1201d

Stop wetting yourselves lol.  Boris may well decide not to stand at this time because 1) the top job is a poisoned chalice now and will be for the foreseeable future and 2) he can earn a small fortune doing other things."A speech and "fireside chat" given by Boris Johnson earlier this week earned him more than twice his salary when he was prime minister. The $350,000 (£315,000) payday involved a 30-minute speech and a sit-down interview at the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers conference in Colorado on Tuesday.People in attendance said he addressed topics such as his continued belief in Brexit, British support for Ukraine and the scepticism he used to have around global heating. He did not talk about the circumstances of his resignation as prime minister.Mr Johnson's annual salary last year was £157,372. This combined his basic salary of £81,932 as an MP from 2021-22 with an additional £75,440 for his role as prime minister, according to government records.Sources close to Mr Johnson have indicated that he wants to bolster his bank balance in order to fund the lifestyle he has made for himself. The Office of Boris Johnson Ltd appeared on Companies House as a newly-incorporated firm before the ex-PM delivered the speech."My feeling is the Conservatives will not win the next GE without him in the top job but once he has made his fortune he will come bouncing back to win them the next one. 

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

I don't have any inside knowledge of this, but it seems likely to me that at least two candidates will reach that level. My worry is that they'll end up with two, most likely Sunak and Johnson, and it'll be down to the party membership to choose between them. And we all know how well that went last time..

Richard Carter ● 1201d

I thought that the 100 nominees could be difficult.Let us hope that at least 2 nominees reach the figure and that none of them are Boris!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1201d

Yes, Richard, WYSIWYG Johnson. Rumour has it that appart from hardcore Tories his popularity has waned among red wall and other floating voters. I was wondering about the 100 nomination hurdle - is there a possibility no one candidate achieves this by the deadline or, to avoid that, do we end up with another inadequate least worst candidate who gets the position by default?

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

Richard Carter ● 1201d

Nothing will save the Tories from defeat whether now of after they ‘tough it out’. As an ex Tory devotee I put the blame directly at Cameron and the imbicilic Johnson’s feet.  Anyone (e.g. Ms Hammond) who thinks a BJ will solve things is delusional.

Freddie Francis ● 1201d

Sounds like Johnson wouldn't have a unifying influence on Tory MPs . Apparently some are threatening to withdraw from the Tory whip, and some talking of forcing by-elections. Perhaps they're just bluffing …

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

"I agree that Boris is his own worst enemy in some ways but according to LBC he is apparently polling in the lead now! Hope so!"Could he/would he turn this around?https://www.statista.com/chart/28501/uk-parliament-seat-distribution-projection/

David Ainsworth ● 1201d

I agree that Boris is his own worst enemy in some ways but according to LBC he is apparently polling in the lead now! Hope so!🤞🏼

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

I also think that Boris was his own worst enemy.I do not see Sunak's resignation as a treachery at all.The country deserves better and that certainly does not include Boris.

Ivonne Holliday ● 1201d

Sunak will probably have the majority Tory MP vote (unfortunately) but no chance with many of the Tory membership who will not forgive his perceived treachery towards Boris.  This was the main reason why Truss managed to get elected.

Sue Hammond ● 1201d

Realised I misspelled Penny Mordaunt's name.

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

Sue, I drafted that before I saw your suggestion. Not a dissimilar conclusion!

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

I agree with Michael. Mordaunt or Sunak are the obvious choices.A return of Boris will certainly make this country look like a circus full of clowns!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1201d

I think it's more to keeps out the inexperienced ones with delusions of grandeur and big egos with supporters of similar mind who fancy a cabinet position, but with no solid ideas. Looking at this in an unbiased way I don't see it necessarily rule Johnson out but it gives him stiff opposition. A higher bar for him might be MPs concern about the privileges commission investigation (more so than the general public), and a desire for someone like Mordant or Sunak who they considered more trustworthy?I think the high bar for nomination numbers is a sensible decision to expedite the process and restrict it to plausible contenders. But I'm not a Tory party member so I doubt they care what I think!

Michael Ixer ● 1201d

My bet is: Sunak, Mordaunt and Boris.  In no particular order. What is yours?

Sue Hammond ● 1201d