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November 1, 2024 - 7:00am
The entire Westminster village now assumes that Kemi Badenoch will be unveiled as the new leader of the Opposition on Saturday. Chancellor Rachel Reeves even singled out the Tory contender for a spot of pre-emptive taunting during Wednesday’s Budget when she referred to workplace bullying and cuts to maternity pay.
On this occasion, the conventional wisdom in Westminster will almost certainly be proven correct. Polling of Tory grassroots members has consistently found Badenoch to be comfortably ahead of rival Robert Jenrick; the bookies’ odds are massively in her favour, and even some of her opponent’s core supporters privately admit she is on track for victory.
All of which makes Jenrick’s recent campaigning intensity and tone particularly fascinating. He could easily have dialled things down and sued for peace with Badenoch, taking satisfaction from having transformed himself from a top-30 Tory a year ago to a top-three Tory now and awaiting a plum Shadow Cabinet job offer. This would have been the orthodox strategy for someone seen to have fought an impressive campaign but from too far back to win.
Yet he has done the very opposite, getting under Badenoch’s skin by accusing her of disrespecting party members in avoiding debates with him and failing to outline her policies. More than that, he has ramped up the controversy quotient of his public utterances generally.
Looking at Jenrick’s two most recent interventions on topical issues is instructive. He went so far as to say that, far from being due reparations, many former colonies owed a “debt of gratitude” to the British Empire, leading Labour Left-winger Bell Ribeiro-Addy to brand his comments “deeply offensive and obnoxious”.
On the issue of more information tumbling out about the Southport stabbings, Jenrick’s response included the suggestion that “across the board the hard reality of mass migration is being covered up.” He singled out crime statistics as an area of particular concern.
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SubscribeWant to know how far to the right Jenrick has established himself? Ask him about his opinion of the political imprisonment of Tommy Robinson
‘Political imprisonment’? No the Grifter broke the law, lied, repeated the offence and hopefully enjoying a cosy cell for 3 with a bucket.
No he showed a film, told a truth and was politically hounded for it
Jenrick is merely posturing. He’s a centrist through and through.
That might be true but the fact that he is staking out these positions is very interesting (and exciting). I expect them to be mainstream conservative positions in due course – especially if Trump wins next week in the USA. Jenrick 2.0 is merely trailblazing what will inevitably become the Tory manifesto by the next election – low immigration, prison works, scrap net zero, no-ground given in the culture
A lot of those, if not all of them, are also Kemi policies (despite what the article claims).
Jenrick is a political lightweight, a man who has reversed his previous positions when in the May Govt, in order to convince the membership he is right wing.
The ultimate opportunist!
Jenrick couldn’t have got it more wrong and the suggestion that he will represent the right of the Tory party is laughable. He will descend into anonymity.
If the Tory membership elect Badenoch that will put to bed all those accusations from the left that Tory members are racists … we know who the racists are … they emerged in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, and more worryingly they are still there.
Jenrick is arguably corrupt, which I am sure doesn’t bother O’Flynn. Having said this though he is right about the ECHR and I liked what he said about the criminal Kaba.
I’m no longer clear what makes one “right wing” any more. Jenrick is well to the centre of what used to be called right wing.
I’m not convinced by the Jenrick-come-lately types – reeks of opportunism to pivot so far to the right with the primary explanation of “I saw lots of dysfunction in the Home Office”.
More likely he sees a shift in the air and moves accordingly.
Kemi has been more convincing because she’s been thoughtful and more consistent over the years.
Well, it’s very heartening that that shift in the air can be seen. It wasn’t there a few months ago.
Like a good few Grifters on the Right Jenrick knows what dog whistles to blow, but it’s all veneer and minimal substance. A few hurrahs for a slogan or slap of someone/something does not a PM make.
Kemi lacks policy substance too, but showing a bit more savvy. And in some regards she doesn’t need much policy substance yet. The next GE is 4+yrs away and alot of water to flow under bridge before then. Her first challenge will be how she keeps the Jenrick/Frost wing in the Tory camp, and then her second how she deals with Farage. Certainly going to be fun watching.
And as an opposition to Starmer she’ll be much the best Tories can offer right now, and in fact that’s good for Starmer too who’ll be forced to up his game and will use it to keep his own left in check.
Jenrick’s ‘principles’ seem to be very flexible, in fact he’s done 180 degree turnaround from Cameroonian tory boy to right wing outliar.
Jenrick is hugely unimpressive, no sign of deeply held principles, no sign of intellectual rigour, no sign of any originality. Loud and mostly offensive.
The Conservatives need a thinker who will need the next four years to develop policies to suit our age. Just as Mrs Thatcher did 1975 to 1979. That’s a mammoth job and needs not just a strong leader but also some very serious political thinkers behind them.
A nasty piece of work and no mistake.. perfect for the Tories, ideal vassal to Trump in a nasty world.. the future looks nicely dark for the party of wickedness.. No one left in the UK fit to vote for now except the Lib Dems and Workers’ Party.
And obviously not the Labour Party with its far left zealotry.
Thatcher had Norman Tebbit. If it is Kemi, I wish her the best of luck she’ll need every bit of it, but no reason that Jenrick can’t “play the thug” like Tebbit did very effectively for Thatcher.