Cleverly warns Tories against ‘bitter infighting’

The shadow home secretary also pointed out that there are “no simple answers” to the problems faced by the party and the country

• Shajil Kumar
• 10 July, 2024

By: Shajil Kumar

CONSERVATIVE party leader James Cleverly has warned against “bitter infighting” among the Tories and called for a “sensible post-mortem” of the recent rout at the general election.

Cleverly has been appointed to shadow his former role of home secretary after Labour’s landslide win.

While writing for The Times he urged his partymen to avoid infighting and finger pointing. “That is exactly how we ended up here,” he wrote.

He also pointed out that there are “no simple answers” to the problems faced by the party and the country.

“That is what parties that never aspire to the challenge of governing do, and what the Labour Party did — the holes in which we are already starting to see,” he remarked.

He reminded his party men that Conservatives are now “His Majesty’s opposition” and should hold the Kier Starmer government to account.

“As shadow home secretary I am focused on ensuring that their surrendering of our borders is not going unchallenged, and there has been plenty for me to sink my teeth into already,” he wrote.

“To be an effective opposition we need to be a credible opposition. We need to act as players, not as commentators,” he added.

His comments came after Suella Braverman attacked “liberal Conservatives” and Kemi Badenoch reportedly used Rishi Sunak’s first shadow cabinet meeting to criticise his campaign and Braverman.

Badenoch said Sunak’s early departure from D-Day commemorations in France was “disastrous” and alleged that this cost some Tory MPs their seats. The Conservatives lost 251 seats, leaving them with 121 MPs.

Braverman had earlier said that Reform UK is an “existential threat” to the Tories.

Rishi Sunak last week announced that he would step down as party leader once the formal arrangements for choosing a successor were in place.

The prominent names doing rounds for Tory leadership include Braverman, Badenoch, former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, and former health secretary Victoria Atkins.

Tory MPs usually vote to select the top two candidates to put forward as potential leaders, with the party membership choosing the ultimate winner.

The rules and timeline will be set out by the backbench 1922 Committee, and Bob Blackman has been elected chairman.

Blackman’s election has also sparked controversy with a Tory MP alleging he was not allowed to vote.

Voting took place in the Houses of Parliament between 5 pm and 5.30 pm on Tuesday, but some MPs were told in an email that they could vote until 6 pm.