- British Conservatives on the Right
If Britain's Conservatives are now selecting a new party leadership after a heavy election defeat, the suitable ad could read: Party (experienced, conservative, with dismal election result) seeks... After just two years, Rishi Sunak is stepping down as party leader, and the Tories want to decide his successor by early November. Six candidates have now publicly announced their bids.
Former Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch is considered a strong contender, having announced her candidacy just before the deadline in the British daily "The Times". The 44-year-old is seen as similar to former Home Secretary Priti Patel and former State Secretary Robert Jenrick, leaning more towards the right of her party.
Also running are former Home Secretary James Cleverly, former State Secretary Tom Tugendhat, and former Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride. Four candidates will be selected to appear at the party conference later this month, with party members set to decide between two favorites in the fall.
Three weeks ago, the Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat in the parliamentary elections, losing to the Labour Party. The party now faces an internal struggle.
How a political scientist sees the situation
Political scientist Mark Garnett from Lancaster University expects the party to shift further to the right. He believes that regardless of who succeeds Sunak, the Conservatives will continue to move right. "In my opinion, the Conservatives will continue to shift to the right, regardless of Sunak's successor," says Garnett.
The researcher thinks it's likely that the party will focus even more on low taxes and so-called culture wars - such as debates around gender identity, an issue on which Badenoch has taken strong stances. Sky News described her as a confrontational crusader against "wokeness".
Garnett sees Badenoch as the favorite, but notes that she is rumored to have stirred up trouble against Suella Braverman, which could potentially work against her. The hardliner Braverman, who previously served as Home Secretary, withdrew from the race. The party is also under pressure on the issue of migration from Nigel Farage and his right-wing populist party Reform UK, which drove the Brexit and supported Donald Trump.
New Chancellor makes serious accusations
Meanwhile, the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves is making serious accusations against the former government. She accuses the Tories of leaving a massive black hole in public spending, estimating it at around £20 billion (approximately €23.7 billion). She says the previous government made significant funding commitments for this fiscal year without knowing where the money would come from. The Conservatives, however, accuse the new government of using this portrayal to pave the way for potential tax increases.
The Conservatives are currently in the midst of an internal shift following their heavy election defeat, with several candidates vying to succeed Rishi Sunak as party leader. Political scientist Mark Garnett from Lancaster University predicts that the party will continue to move further to the right, potentially focusing more on low taxes and culture war issues.
The new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has accused the previous Conservative government of leaving a significant financial deficit, estimating it at around £20 billion, which they claim justifies potential future tax increases.
