Five things we learned from Tory conference: The return of Farage and Trumpification
This week, top Tories, councillors, activists and party members gathered in Manchester for their annual get-together.
With journalists also swarming the panel events, hotel receptions and late night bars, there was little that went unreported.
But amid the not-so warm white wine, dodgy dance moves, and endless speeches, there were a few things that became all-too clear.
CityAM takes you through the five things we learned from Tory conference 2023.
1. Nigel Farage could be back..
One, perhaps unexpected, figure who made a splash was former UKIP and Brexit party leader Nigel Farage.
Fresh from his summer deposing NatWest boss Alison Rose over the debanking scandal, Farage was front and centre at Liz Truss’ growth rally, snapping selfies with young fans, and on the dancefloor with Priti Patel to Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.
The Prime Minister himself refused to rule out welcoming the former member – who quit in 1992 – back into the “broad church” of the Conservative fold.
And Farage may have appeared to turn him down, but don’t count him out too soon.
2. Liz Truss’ growth group has, well, grown..
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ fallow period is well and truly behind her.
Laying out her ideals for the future of Britain – axing taxes, cutting bills and building houses (no mention of crashing the pound) – she threw down the gauntlet to her successor.
But more revealing were the comments from her former environment secretary Ranil Jayawardena, who let slip her so-called ‘Conservative Growth Group’ of backers now has close to 60 members.
The Prime Minister might wish to sit up and take notice, with the size of his own parliamentary majority worryingly close to exactly that number.
3. Suella v Kemi v Penny..
The battle for the soul of the future of the Tory party is well and truly underway. Assuming Sunak loses the next election, there are three faces lining up to take on the baton.
Home secretary Suella Braverman made a fiery speech, tapping into her supporters’ innate antipathy towards immigration, in a very apparent leadership bid
Business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch took a more low-key path, sitting down for a cosy chat with Spectator editor Fraser Nelson in front of a packed audience.
While sword-bearer Penny Mordaunt did her best Thatcher tribute act on the main stage, warming up the crowd for the PM, after making a midnight appearance – stood barefoot on a chair – at a rammed gathering of Next Generation Tories, passionately chanting her name.
It’s on.
4. Trumpification..
One issue which cropped up time and again was that of ministers announcing policies or referencing issues which simply aren’t based in reality.
From Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pledging to tackle the scourge of debanking (which the FCA found no evidence of) to transport minister Mark Harper citing spurious claims about 15-minute cities, senior Conservatives seemed in thrall to, essentially, online conspiracies.
Deputy party chairman Lee Anderson even took a verbal swing at a journalist during a panel event, accusing him of making up sources – in what MP Steve Brine branded “MAGA” language.
Further evidence of a shift to the right?
5. Cloud cuckoo land..
Party members, who told CityAM how “amazing” Sunak’s speech was, might think he’s in with a chance of winning the next election.
But voters and his own MPs don’t seem so sure. Over the weekend, pollsters at Savanta asked 2,000 Brits what word they most associate with the party. Far and away the most popular response – useless.
And while the conference bars and parties were bustling with activists, there was a notable lack of MPs in attendance, with the fact many chose to stay in their constituencies, contributing to the damp atmosphere.
Could there be trouble ahead for the boy wonder PM?
Make sure to follow CityA.M.’s coverage of Labour’s conference from Sunday, October 8.