UKAnalysis

‘Dream on, James’: Tory leadership battle gets all bubbly

Conservative Party conference attendees shrugged off a few sore heads on Monday morning to debate their future

Leadership contender Kemi Badenoch had a glint in her eye as she tried to put James Cleverly back in his box after he addressed the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Leadership contender Kemi Badenoch had a glint in her eye as she tried to put James Cleverly back in his box after he addressed the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

As with much else, when it comes to crowds at political party conferences, it is the quality and not the quantity that matters. Attendance at this year’s Conservative Party gathering in Birmingham is somewhat diminished at fewer than 10,000 souls. But what souls they are.

An older, well-to-do couple was overheard at the entrance to the secure compound discussing how best to wear their lanyards. “Put it over your head,” the man told the woman. “Oh, can I not just tie it on to my bag like we do at Ascot?” she replied, a little indignant.

The event at the International Convention Centre (ICC) ends on Wednesday, climaxing with speeches in the main hall from the four candidates vying for the party leadership – Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat.

In the meantime, party members – the ultras who were not put off coming to Birmingham by the Tories’ historic election defeat in July – on Monday milled around the sprawling venue, where the mood was surprisingly jaunty for a party that had so recently been demolished by Labour.

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The night before, elite members of the party and a gaggle of media hangers-on had drenched themselves in torrential quantities of champagne on the 25th floor of the Cube tower, on the edge of Birmingham city centre. They were at a party thrown by the powerful 1922 committee of backbenchers in partnership with Tory online bible Conservative Home.

Most of the 121 Tory MPs were there, along with others, such as former minister of state for Northern Ireland Steve Baker, who lost their seats in July. Baker, an arch Brexiteer who ended up becoming one of the closest Tories to the Irish Government, appeared sanguine as he reflected on the Tory defeat. Who knows what can happen in the future, he suggested.

For the leadership candidates, the immediate future extended only until the next elimination vote in 10 days. They worked the room, focusing mainly on the MPs who will soon whittle them down to the final pairing.

Each was given just 60 seconds to address the crowd. Badenoch, who had endured a torrid day after receiving criticism for earlier comments over maternity pay, was trying hard to not let it get her down. After Cleverly had addressed the room to say why he felt he was the best candidate, Badenoch had a glint in her eye as she tried to put him back in his box.

“James thinks he is the best. Dream on, James. If you want change, vote for renewal, vote for Kemi,” said Badenoch, her sass seemingly unmolested by the day’s events.

On Monday morning, attendees shrugged off the effects of the previous night’s bubbles to attend some of the myriad Tory fringe debates at the ICC. Former cabinet member Michael Gove was the star attraction at the marquee temporary home of Onward, a centre-right think tank.

Gove, who chose not to stand in July’s election, indicated that Friday would be his first day on the job in his new role as editor of Spectator magazine. Never one to underestimate his own talents, he also compared himself to James Hunt, the dashing Formula One driver who won the world championship in the 1970s before quitting. “He, too, knew when it was time to leave the circuit,” said Gove.

Later, Jenrick, Badenoch’s main rival in the leadership battle, burnished his anti-immigration credentials with the right wing of the party, putting in a strident turn at a debate hosted by the hardline Popular Conservatives bloc. There was a sense Jenrick was gaining momentum in the race. Badenoch and maybe even Cleverly may yet have something to say about it.