Robert Jenrick.Photo: politic.karpat.in.ua
Senior officials of the UK Conservative Party have warned that Robert Jenrick, who remains the favourite to become Tory leader after the recent party conference in Birmingham, risks losing his position if he tries to return to a more moderate policy. This was reported by The Guardian.
Jenrik and the support of the right wing
Jenrick gained the support of the party’s right wing through a series of uncompromising statements. He has publicly announced that he would welcome Nigel Farage to join the Tories, pledged to support the UK’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights, and expressed his support for Donald Trump. However, having started his career as a moderate politician, some believe that such radical positions are only a temporary strategy to gain leadership.
A warning from senior conservatives
Senior Tory officials have already warned that if he becomes leader, Jenrick will be vulnerable to the influence of the right wing. One shadow minister compared him to Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader who was ousted two years after coming to power. Duncan Smith was never able to increase his appeal to a wider electorate, as his support remained limited to the right wing of the party.
“Right Braverman holds on to Jenrik’s fate
Jenrik is already being warned that he is dependent on a “right-wing Braverman”, which means an influential figure in the party, in particular former Interior Minister Suella Braverman. As Immigration Minister under her leadership, critics say Jenrik radicalised towards hardline policies. Senior party figures argue that if he tries to return to a moderate position, he may face the fate of Duncan Smith – the right wing will simply oust him.
Support for the liberal wing
Despite the threat from the right wing, Jenrick’s allies strongly deny the possibility of his radical rejection, pointing out that representatives of the liberal wing of the Tories also support his leadership. Politicians such as Victoria Atkins and Ed Argyr have publicly sided with him.
Political mood in the country
Despite all the intra-party intrigue, recent polls show that the public is not very interested in Conservative events. According to Opinium, more Britons have heard about the return of TV presenter Philip Schofield than about the Tory conference. The Labour Party continues to lead on most political issues, although the Tories have managed to level the playing field with Labour on economic issues.
