Conservative party leadership race intensifies, with upper-class boy and working-class girl taking center stage
We all know that politicians love repetition.
For Keir Starmer, “My father was a toolmaker.”
For Tom Tugendhat, “I was a soldier. I served my country.”
He must have mentioned his military background at least a dozen times as he began his “fireside chat” with the four Conservative leadership candidates on stage at the conference.
“I have served this country in many different ways for 25 years,” he said. “You know, I’ve served in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I’ve literally personally fought our country’s battles.”
Something to stir! But we learned some new things about Major Tom. Major Tom eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during his Army career.
For example, who knew he could change a diaper during a radio interview? Or could he just straight up mow the lawn?
His three rivals for the Conservative crown, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and James Cleverley, all have considerable experience in government.
But to be fair, when he was told this story by interviewer Christopher Hope, he borrowed a gag from Ronald Reagan about the young president’s opponent in a 1984 televised debate.
“I’m not going to criticize anyone for their lack of combat experience or their lack of diplomatic experience,” Tugendhat said. “I’m not blaming communities for not contributing to our country and putting their lives at risk.”
His Q&A included plenty of clearly rehearsed soundbites. But his five priorities were, I must say, mind-numbingly boring. For example, the first is reform of the Conservative Party’s headquarters.
Mr Tugendhat was again asked about his lavish career, as was Sky News reporter Trevor Phillips. And once again, he responded by claiming he learned about this country from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Frontline runner?
But when Kemi Badenoch’s turn came, she claimed, not for the first time, that she became working class when she came to the UK from Nigeria and worked at McDonald’s.
“What made me working class was not working at McDonald’s,” she said this time. “That was an example of how I became working class…
“Sometimes I was hungry. I was alone. I had a place to live, but when I was young I had to do everything myself. I don’t know what the class is.”
She delighted supporters by comparing herself to Margaret Thatcher, and just as this week she received “excessive” maternity benefits, Maggie also erred in her infamous “there is no such thing as society” remark. He claimed that he was told that
It’s not entirely convincing, but she pulled it off.
But what made her stand out was rejecting calls from rivals for a shorter leadership contest so the winner could meet Rachel Reeves’ budget on October 30th.
She added that the Conservative Party would not be taken seriously if it did that, and that job would be better left to former chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Both leadership rivals were asked about Boris Johnson, the darling of Tory activists. And to please them, they both praised him.
In front of a gallery of Boris admirers, Ms Badenoch said she loved Boris, defended him during the wallpaper controversy and believed he was being unfairly followed at party gate.
I must have read his memoirs serialized in the newspaper!
Overall, this was a relaxed and good-humored performance from the often lively and combative Ms. Badenoch, who showed a softer side and even laughed at times. She ended by declaring: “We must save Britain’s pubs.”
So while the upper-class boys and working-class girls continued their campaigning, the Conservative Party activists in the audience headed to the pubs.
