I’ve had a large number of emails from constituents expressing their anger at the resignation of the Prime Minister.
I have always had some sharp policy differences with Boris but I supported him for the leadership and at the recent confidence vote. I was against his forced resignation at a time when I considered him to be making a critical difference in international affairs. I did not think it wise to initiate a new leadership contest, with a completely unpredictable outcome at this time of international tension and domestic economic uncertainty.
Nevertheless, I was exasperated by what the tennis commentators call ‘unforced errors’, the last of which was the Pincher business. If only he had said at the very start how sorry he was that he given the fellow a second chance, but he had been let down when he got drunk and behaved so disgracefully at the Carlton Club. There would still have been a frightful row, but I don’t think it would have been terminal. (I should point out that it is my understanding that the historic incident that took place in the Foreign Office was not of the same order as the events in the Carleton Club. The Foreign Office complaint was subject to a formal Cabinet Office investigation which concluded that no disciplinary action should be taken. That certainly would not have been the outcome had the complaint been anything like what happened at the Carleton).
Boris was a fantastic communicator and campaigner. We will certainly miss his charisma in what can often be a rather ‘grey’ political scene. His legacy will be the successful 2016 Brexit campaign that he led – LEAVE would not have won without him; He followed this with his decisive parliamentary and electoral intervention to break the deadlock in 2019 and finally ‘get Brexit done’.
Over the last couple of years I’ve often been asked who I think should be the next Tory Prime Minister and I have responded by telling my questioners that they probably won’t recognise the names because I believe that our best talents are among the newer MPs who have not had sufficient public exposure. Anyway, the two names that I have given have been Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch. Two highly effective ministers at the despatch box with a clear Conservative vision. Both, for some reason -probably fear, are singled out for particular attack from the opposition benches, but give as good as they get.
I was somewhat surprised, but nevertheless delighted, when they both announced their candidatures.
Suella was first off the block, so I immediately gave her my support. She has been a robust and effective Attorney General and I have no doubt that she could be a magnificent PM in the mould of Margaret Thatcher.