At a behind-closed-doors session of the National Conservative Convention yesterday, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis hailed the first rise in party membership in a decade.
The figure, according to Lewis, is upwards of 124,000, small beer compared with the 600,000 who have flocked to join Comrade Corbyn’s Labour Party.
What Lewis never admitted, however, was that most Tory associations have reported a rise in membership renewals, and in new members – people who want to vote in a future leadership contest.
At a behind-closed-doors session of the National Conservative Convention, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis hailed the first rise in party membership in a decade
Party members choose the leader from a shortlist of two chosen by MPs. Given that many observers believe there may be a contest next year, the allegiances of new members could prove to be crucial.
Vow of silence… that’s a laugh!
The loudest ovation at the private session of the National Convention was not for Theresa May.
Members rose to cheer an activist who urged her to halt the prosecution of former soldiers over the Northern Ireland Troubles. Needless to say, she insisted she can’t interfere in the judicial process.
The second-loudest applause came when a member urged Jacob Rees-Mogg and other Brexiteers to take a vow of silence. Presumably once he’d stopped laughing.
The second-loudest applause came when a member urged Jacob Rees-Mogg and other Brexiteers to take a vow of silence
Grayling’s left trailing
Last month Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was in fifth place in the ConservativeHome league table of approval ratings of Cabinet ministers.
In the new league table published yesterday, his standing had soared by 20 per cent, moving him into second place.
He’s now on 62 per cent, within a hair’s breadth of Sajid Javid on 63 per cent. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is last… on -53.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street said Birmingham manufactured nearly two million guns for the Duke of Wellington
Street fighting man
In a speech showing the kind of fight we’d like to see from the PM, West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: ‘During the Napoleonic Wars, Birmingham manufactured nearly two million guns for the Duke of Wellington. The Spitfires which won the Battle of Britain were built at Castle Bromwich.
Today in Wolverhampton, weapons systems for the F-35 fighter are coming off the production line.
Perhaps Donald Tusk and Emmanuel Macron should remember that the next time they pick a fight with our Prime Minister.’