Kemi Badenoch insists she believes in maternity pay as Tory rivals leap on ‘extreme’ declare – UK politics dwell

After showing to have descended into full irrelevance with no protesters in any respect in Birmingham, Tory convention organisers could also be relieved that the voice of anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray has put them again on the map.

Bray, a well-known determine in Westminster, turned up late on Sunday afternoon together with his loudspeaker and began to blast the convention centre and few delegates within the constructing with funerial music.

Earlier than that, the shortage of protesters was matched solely by the scarcity of social gathering members at a convention which is solely centered on the management election reasonably than the nation.

Voters should see that the Conservative Get together takes its 2024 election loss “critically”, Lord Ben Houchen has mentioned.

The Tees Valley mayor warned his social gathering has a “large job to do” with to regain help from its personal voter base, together with the votes which he mentioned “bled” to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats beneath Sir Ed Davey in July this yr.

Lord Houchen was seen descending an escalator with management hopeful Tom Tugendhat at his social gathering’s Birmingham convention on Sunday, however warned he had not backed any of the 4 candidates.

“It’s been fairly a gradual begin I believe to the management race and I believe the convention will see it come alive,” the mayor informed the PA information company.

“I’m assembly with the entire candidates whereas we’re right here at convention and I’ve been chatting with Tom and the others already.

“So it’s simply one other catch-up.”

He added: “I’ve met with all of them beforehand and so they all wish to have a dialog.

“I’ll hearken to them, I wish to hear what they wish to stand for, I wish to hear a bit extra element about a few of their coverage agenda as nicely and what they’re going to do to have the ability to deliver the social gathering again collectively and make it a combating drive in electoral phrases once more.”

The earlier Conservative authorities ought to dangle its head in disgrace after it failed these “most in want”, a shadow training minister mentioned.

Tory MP Gagan Mohindra accused his social gathering of not doing sufficient for kids with particular instructional wants and disabilities (Ship) throughout its time in energy.

Mr Mohindra, who served within the social gathering’s whips’ workplace between September 2023 and July 2024, made the feedback at a Conservative Get together convention fringe occasion on Sunday.

He added that he’s pissed off that in some instances mother and father are “pushed from pillar to publish” when attempting to safe enough provision for his or her kids.

The MP for South West Hertfordshire mentioned: “Hertfordshire (County Council) has invested into Ship provision, however really it’s terrible.

“I maintain my hand up as a Conservative member of Parliament saying my authorities didn’t do sufficient on this.

“Sure, we have been combating a worldwide pandemic, and a cost-of-living disaster, and all the remainder of it, however really, the lack for politicians to step in when these most in want wanted our help, I believe is one thing we should always dangle our heads in disgrace and apologise for, and I’ll fortunately try this on stage at the moment.”

Conservative Get together MPs and officers scored a victory in a carefully fought soccer match to kick off their annual social gathering convention in Birmingham, of their first victory towards the journalists’ facet for 12 years.

The successful staff had just one serving MP of their ranks, shadow training minister Gagan Mohindra, however the facet was bolstered by former MPs Brendan Clarke-Smith and Karl McCartney who turned out for the facet.

Each misplaced their seats on the basic election. From the friends, Lord Evans of Rainow accomplished the lineup.

The foyer facet dominated the early levels of the primary half on the Aston Villa Academy Centre in Birmingham. They took a well-deserved lead after 21 minutes. Good work on the proper noticed the ball reduce to an unmarked Richard Vaughan who completed with ease.

The Foyer continued to dominate, however couldn’t flip their possession into clear probabilities on objective. Their wastefulness was then punished by the Conservative facet, who scrambled the ball over the road to equalise 10 minutes after the opener. A nook came to visit from the left and was not handled earlier than it was pressured in on the far publish.

The Tories then seized the initiative with a effective objective to take the lead simply earlier than half time. A incisive by way of ball noticed workers member Jack Pollard race past the defence into the realm, earlier than reducing the ball again and curling a effective shot into the highest nook.

The Foyer began the second half by attempting to grab the initiative once more, however struggled to make a break by way of and Mr Pollard continued to trigger issues for his or her again line.

Nonetheless, they managed to get again on degree phrases midway by way of the second half. A cross from the proper was met by MPs’ centre again Jack Doyle, who in straining to cease the ball diverted it previous his personal goalkeeper.

Forward of this week’s social gathering convention, the race to turn out to be the subsequent chief of the Conservatives is heating up, writes Andrew Grice – however given the state of the social gathering’s reputation, how a lot does it really matter?

James Cleverly is the popular candidate to win the Tory management race amongst the British public, a brand new ballot has proven – however a majority of respondents mentioned they don’t know who they’d help.

Requested which candidate would make one of the best prime minister, new polling by Techne put the previous house secretary narrowly forward of his rival candidates at 13 per cent help.

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Oliver Dowden was interviewed by cops from the Playing Fee as a part of the official investigation into bets positioned on the date of the investigation, sources informed Sky Information.

However sources near the previous deputy prime minister informed The Unbiased that he’s not and was by no means beneath investigation himself.

Sir Oliver spoke to the police to help with their inquiries in an interview performed within the early summer season.

The inquiry, which was launched in June, is predicted to proceed for one more three to 6 months.

As a part of the probe, the Playing Fee has reportedly seized “tons of of paperwork” from Tory headquarters.

Robert Jenrick has signalled he would give Conservative social gathering members a much bigger function in selecting future MPs if he’s made social gathering chief.

Attitudes amongst some Tory activists have been soured through the run-up to the final election marketing campaign when Conservative MPs vulnerable to dropping their seats have been parachuted into safer constituencies.

Amongst them was Richard Holden, the then-party chairman, who was chosen because the candidate for Basildon and Billericay when his former North West Durham constituency was abolished.

Mr Holden, who gained the Essex seat, confronted sturdy opposition from native Tory activists when the transfer was carried out utilizing a foreshortened choice course of.

Talking at a fringe occasion on the Conservative Get together convention, former minister Mr Jenrick was applauded when he mentioned it was “immensely disrespectful” to parachute candidates into protected seats.

He added: “It was disrespectful to anybody who aspires to be a Conservative candidate and member of Parliament. You have got my solemn promise that can by no means occur if I’m fortunate sufficient to guide this social gathering.

“You have to be within the driving seat. You must select who your parliamentary candidates are. That’s how we encourage folks of substance to face as parliamentary candidates as soon as once more.”

Ditch the non-dom tax, chancellor – and herald a Robin Hood tax as a substitute, writes John Rentoul: