Tobias Ellwood Follow 15 February 2019 • 9:30pm Thursday’s motion was non-binding, neutral in meaning and should have been an uneventful prelude to the main event taking place in a fortnight’s time. But the European Research Group (ERG) turned it into a Parliamentary stunt to demonstrate the power it now yields – acting once again as a party within a party. The Conservative Party has always been an inclusive broad church. It has welcomed a wide spectrum of centre right ideas and supporters which dilute any extreme views and helped promote and secure national appeal. Many ERG members have, individually, made significant contributions to party policy and government thinking. But their collective actions under the ERG banner have crossed a line... To continue reading this article Start your free trial of Premium Access all Premium articles Subscriber-only events Cancel any time Free for 30 days then only … [Read more...] about Hardline Brexiteers could trigger a battle for the soul of the Conservative party
Conservative party
Growing divisions in Conservative party after May loses Brexit vote
Brexit disputes are causing turmoil within the Conservative party after Theresa May’s humbling defeat in the Commons. The further division has come following the pro-Brexit European Research Group’s "collective decision" to abstain from Thursday's lost vote. With some Remainers failing to vote and five Conservative MPs voting with the opposition, the Government fell to a 303 to 258 defeat. Though some ministers insisted the result was largely symbolic it underlined the depth of the divisions inside the party. Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood described the ERG's actions as "provocative" and accused them of operating as a "party within a party". Tory backbencher Jonathan Djanogly said the ERG was seeking to "pull the UK off the cliff". He also added he had seen nothing to show the Government had the determination to stop it. Pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry said Mrs May needed to stand up to the group she described as the "purple Momentum" – a reference to left wing grassroots … [Read more...] about Growing divisions in Conservative party after May loses Brexit vote
Wisbech Councillor Simon King steps down from local election to save his Conservative party colleagues ‘difficulties’
Wisbech councillor Simon King will not stand at this year's local elections in May to save his party "further embarrassment".Speaking exclusively to the Citizen Coun King, who has represented the Octavia Hill Ward on Fenland District Council for the past 20 years, said it was entirely his decision to withdraw.Coun King is currently serving a six month suspension from the Fenland Conservative group after he was found guilty of breaching the code of conduct with fraudulent expense claims - an accusation he still vehemently denies.The suspension, which bars him from attending all group activities, runs until May 7 - five days after the local elections.He said: "The reason I took the decision to stand down was because of loyalty to the Conservative party, and it was entirely my decision. The fact is this will still be going on close to the elections in May. I just wasn't going to do that to the party. I feel a lot of loyalty to the Conservative party, and although I maintain I am … [Read more...] about Wisbech Councillor Simon King steps down from local election to save his Conservative party colleagues ‘difficulties’
Stamford MP Nick Boles says “If they kick me out of the Conservative Party, so be it”
Stamford MP Nick Boles faces a showdown with local party officials within the week.It comes after the rebel MP told the Sunday Times newspaper: “If they kick me out of the Conservative Party, so be it.”The constituency association executive will ask Mr Boles next Monday whether or not he intends standing again as MP.Despite the pair clashing regularly in both local and national press, association chairman Philip Sagar insists local Tories are not demanding the MP’s deselection.Instead, in a letter to party members yesterday, Mr Sagar says Mr Boles will be asked if he intends standing again in readiness for a general election, which some commentators say may not be too far away.If, the MP says yes, this will go to the following executive meeting several weeks later for approval or not.If Mr Boles fails to win approval, the matter can then be decided by a postal ballot of party members or he joins a shortlist of potential candidates, whichever the MP chooses.Mr Sagar … [Read more...] about Stamford MP Nick Boles says “If they kick me out of the Conservative Party, so be it”
Conservative parties win slim majority in Denmark’s ‘school general election’
School students across Denmark voted in a mock general election on Thursday, and the result was a favourable one for many of the country’s conservative parties. Current polls suggest that Denmark’s ‘blue bloc’ conservative parties might struggle to hold their parliamentary majority in this year’s general elections, but the school election showed there is reason to be optimistic about the future for the political right. Conservative parties won a narrow majority with 51.2 percent of the votes in Thursday’s school election, in which over 63,000 students in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades cast their ballots. Meanwhile the opposition Social Democrats were the largest-scoring single party, with 22.6 percent of the vote. The party achieved 26.3 percent of votes in the last real general election in 2015. Although the poll does not have any bearing on the real general election, senior politicians reacted to the result on social media, including Prime … [Read more...] about Conservative parties win slim majority in Denmark’s ‘school general election’