Tag: United Kingdom

Every year or so MPs and Lords gather in the upper chamber to hear an address from the monarch who, fitted in his ceremonial robes and adorned with the imperial state crown, delivers deadpan, bullet-point by bullet-point, the government’s forthcoming legislative agenda. 

But do not let the pomp and ceremony fool you, this is an intensely political affair. And the address delivered by King Charles today — the first King’s Speech since 1950 — was more significant than most. For this was not only Charles III’s first “Speech from the Throne”, but Rishi Sunak’s too. 

There was, therefore, a great deal of pressure on the prime minister to perform in policy terms today as he prepared to seize the reins of parliament. But more than this: today’s King’s Speech had long been touted as the second-third of Sunak’s totemic “reset” as PM. With the first having been delivered to mixed success at Conservative Party Conference in October, and the third still to come by way of the Autumn Statement on 22 November — this really had to land. 

What is more, this is also widely expected to be the last King’s Speech before a general election; and with a historic routing looming (if the polls are anything to go by), today’s events offered the PM an irresistible opportunity to set out clear differences with Labour. But Rishi Sunak, speaking vicariously through His Royal Highness, was addressing Conservative MPs too: he needed to convince them he’s got a plan to turn things around in the remaining months of this parliament.

There was also the far from ideal backdrop to the speech today which revolved around Suella Braverman’s purported plan to prevent charities from giving out tents to homeless people. The home secretary appeared to confirm the Financial Times’ scoop on Saturday, in a move which sparked a fresh round of intra-party scuffling: two days in a row two senior cabinet ministers in Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, and Claire Coutinho, the energy security and net zero secretary, refused to defend their colleague’s comments.

In a way, this noisy backdrop was a microcosm of Rishi Sunak’s party-political travails since he took over as prime minister in October last year. Yesterday, he was in North Norfolk to trail plans on introducing regular annual oil and gas licensing. But headlines were dominated by a further round of Conservative Party infighting, as MPs — frontbench and backbench — took turns disowning the home secretary’s comments.

So this was the immediate, brutal reality into which King Charles’ speech was received today. What, therefore, did the prime minister have in store? And is the news agenda now his alone to tyrannise and manipulate?

Ostensibly, we have twenty-one bills which the government says will be its priority over the coming year or so. But there is not anything especially surprising among them.

The headline pitch of the King’s Speech, in this way, was no different to that which Sunak has majored on for some time now as PM: he wants to embrace dividing lines with Labour and push Keir Starmer into political territory upon which he thinks he can fight and win the next election. 

As for the government’s new energy proposals, the policy rationale behind the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill is to make the UK more energy independent by increasing investor and industry confidence with regular annual oil and gas licensing. The government has repeatedly insisted that the its focus is on ensuring that the UK reaches net zero without unduly burdening families and businesses; of course, this announcement follows the PM’s recent decision to push back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035 and relax the phaseout target for the installation of new gas boilers.

But purported policy triumphs aside, the bill saw King Charles — who has spent a lifetime warning about climate change — formally announcing the prime minister’s highly-politicised pledge to grant new North Sea oil and gas exploration licenses. 

The prime minister has previously accused Keir Starmer of letting “ecozealots” at Just Stop Oil write his energy policy; elsewhere, he has declared that Labour‘s proposal to ban new oil and gas developments in the North Sea is “bizarre” and will only benefit Russian president Vladimir Putin. The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill is Sunak showing what Labour is giving up on with its alleged zealousness. 

So Sunak thinks there’s mileage in lampooning Labour as out-of-touch on energy security and net zero. Such a strategy is intended to pose a danger to Starmer who, tetchy and cautious, has not always proved willing to embrace Sunak’s set dividing lines. 

But although Starmer can credibly be characterised as deeply — almost instinctively — opposed to taking political risks, in recent weeks and months he has seen fit to expand Labour’s policy offering in recent months and enlarge his “small target”. Energy policy and net zero ambition feature centrally in his pitch. 

Keir Starmer has said that if his party wins power it will honour existing licences — but he has ruled out granting any new ones. Instead, the party has said it will prioritise significant investment in nuclear and renewable energy sources.

Populistic crime and punishment laws featured, too, among Sunak’s more politically charged announcements. King Charles announced a new bill which seeks to see fewer offenders receiving short-term prison sentences, with low-risk individuals instead receiving community orders. Critics will accuse the government of posturing amid reports that some judges have been told not to jail criminals because prisons are full. Elsewhere, the criminal justice bill pledges to “reform the criminal justice system and give the police the powers necessary to keep people safe”.

There were also long-trailed plans to phase out all legal tobacco sales in England, the proposal to introduce a new football regulator, a programme to reform leasehold property ownership and, even, a Pedicabs (London) Bill “to deal with the scourge of unlicensed pedicabs”.

The prime minister also wants to position the UK as ready to take advantage of the benefits of AI — hence the section on new legal frameworks to support the development of self-driving vehicles.

What, then, is the strategy here? 

Sunak has said his government is focussed on “long term decisions” — and that remains the throughline of the vast majority of bills the King Charles announced today.

“By taking these long term decisions, my government will change this country and build a better future”, King Charles concluded this morning. And that, in essence, is the message the PM wants voters to take away from his speech. But a question remains on whether this really works as the rhetorical glue Sunak needs to cement a general election campaign together.

The prime minister will also need to make progress quickly on the bills announced today to persuade the public that he — as leader of the Conservative Party which has governed the country for 13 years — is the vehicle for real change in politics. 

But this raises another dilemma: Sunak will likely be able to pass his 21 bills, or at least get Westminster and Whitehall moving on them, long before a general election campaign begins — so how long can the PM maintain this image as a “change candidate” through 2024? 

If he is able to act on his immediate priorities over the coming months, should we expect another “relaunch” which identifies further policy areas ripe for change down the line? 

Does this make the prospect of an early election more likely? Or will pre-election messaging on “change” transpose into a “Britain’s on the right track” ticket down the line — as the PM cites success on the areas he has identified?

These are longer term considerations, and will not feature in the immediate political fallout of King Charles’ speech today. Thus, one must also ask whether — in the short term — today’s events do anything to combat the perception that Sunak is out of control of his party, that he helms a “zombie parliament” and that he is merely minding the shop before Keir Starmer sweeps into No 10 with a large majority?

All this will remain contested over the coming days and weeks as the government adds further rhetorical dressing to its proposals. What is certain is that the Labour Party’s spinning operation is already working overtime to rubbish the proposals as “thin gruel”. Chris Bryant, the shadow minister for creative industries and digital, argued this afternoon the government could get this legislative programme through parliament in a matter of months, even weeks. 

So, with perhaps a year or more to go until a general election, there remains a great deal to be decided and arguments to be made. But the “real Rishi” has, in theory, been unleashed. Attention now turns to whether he can inspire a revival in his party’s electoral prospects after over a year of false-starts.

Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Twitter here.

Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website, providing comprehensive coverage of UK politics. Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.

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Here is a rundown of the full list of bills from the King’s Speech 2023:

GROWING THE ECONOMY

• Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill

“Legislation will be introduced to strengthen the United Kingdom’s energy security and reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets and hostile foreign regimes. This Bill will support the future licensing of new oil and gas fields, helping the country to transition to net zero by 2050 without adding undue burdens on households”

• Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill

“My Ministers will take steps to make the economy more competitive, taking advantage of freedoms afforded by the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. A bill will be brought forward to promote trade and investment with economies in the fastest growing region in the world”

• Automated Vehicles Bill

“My Ministers will introduce new legal frameworks to support the safe commercial development of emerging industries, such as self-driving vehicles”

• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill

“[My Ministers will] introduce new competition rules for digital markets”

• Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

“[My Ministers will] encourage innovation in technologies such as machine learning”

• Media Bill

“Legislation will be brought forward to support the creative industries and protect public interest journalism [Media Bill”

• Arbitration Bill
• Draft Rail Reform Bill

STRENGTHENING SOCIETY

• Tobacco and Vapes Bill

“My Government will introduce legislation to create a smokefree generation by restricting the sale of tobacco so that children currently aged fourteen or younger can never be sold cigarettes, and restricting the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to children”

• Leasehold and Freehold Bill

“My Ministers will bring forward a bill to reform the housing market by making it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to purchase their freehold and tackling the exploitation of millions of homeowners through punitive service charges”

• Renters (Reform) Bill

“Renters will benefit from stronger security of tenure and better value, while landlords will benefit from reforms to provide certainty that they can regain their properties when needed”

• Football Governance Bill

“My Government will deliver a long-term plan to regenerate towns and put local people in control of their future. Legislation will be brought forward to safeguard the future of football clubs for the benefit of communities and fans”

• Pedicabs (London) Bill

“A bill will be introduced to deal with the scourge of unlicensed pedicabs in London”

• Holocaust Memorial Bill

“My Government is committed to tackling antisemitism and ensuring that the Holocaust is never forgotten. A bill will progress the construction of a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens”

• Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill 
• Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill

KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE

• Sentencing Bill

“A bill will be brought forward to ensure tougher sentences for the most serious offenders and increase the confidence of victims”

• Criminal Justice Bill

“My Ministers will introduce legislation to empower police forces and the criminal justice system to prevent new or complex crimes, such as digital-enabled crime and child sexual abuse, including grooming”

• Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill

“At a time when threats to national security are changing rapidly due to new technology, my Ministers will give the security and intelligence services the powers they need and will strengthen independent judicial oversight”

• Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill

“Legislation will be introduced to protect public premises from terrorism in light of the Manchester Arena attack”

• Victims and Prisoners Bill

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Parliament will today hear the annual King’s Speech, as Rishi Sunak lays out his legislative plans for the year ahead. 

It will be King Charles III’s first such speech as monarch, and it will also be the first of the prime minister’s tenure in No 10. 

It is also potentially the last before a general election, which must be held by January 2025.

Speaking ahead of his first King’s Speech as PM, Rishi Sunak said: “I want everyone across the country to have the pride and peace of mind that comes with knowing your community, where you are raising your family and taking your children to school, is safe. That is my vision of what a better Britain looks like.

“Thanks to this government, crime is down, but we must always strive to do more, taking the right long-term decisions for the country and keeping the worst offenders locked up for longer”.

Sunak also pledged to bring forward bills that help people feel safer “in their own communities” and instil a pride in the “place they call home” on Tuesday.

The speech — devised by the prime minister, but delivered by the King — is expected to begin at around 11.30am.

POLITICS LATEST:

9.42 am — Home secretary Suella Braverman’s plan to prevent charities giving out tents to homeless people is no longer expected to feature in the King’s Speech.

8.22 am — What to expect from the King’s Speech Today

• It has been confirmed that plans to “phase out” leaseholds will be in the address today.
• Rishi Sunak is also expected to use the speech to introduce a law that would stop children who turn 14 this year and those younger from ever legally buying cigarettes or tobacco in England. The measure would phase out smoking for the next generation.
• The government also plans to mandate annual oil and gas licensing in the North Sea. 
• But the standout proposals from the King’s Speech are anticipated to be centred on criminal justice. One such measure expected to be included is the plan to force convicted criminals to be in court for their sentencing.

8.10 am — Justice secretary Alex Chalk refuses to repeat Suella Braverman‘s claim that rough sleeping is a ‘lifestyle choice’

Asked if he would reiterate her claim, Chalk said: “No I wouldn’t, I would take a different approach.”

He added: “It is the case of course that there will be some people who decline support from the local council, but there’s often a very significant context which could be a mental health issue, a substance abuse problem, a relationship breakdown or the loss of a job”.

8.00 am — Good morning and welcome back to “Politics Live”, politics.co.uk‘s rolling coverage of the day’s key moments in Westminster and beyond. Here you can keep up to date with today’s major parliamentary debates, press conferences and news events in real time.

Here’s what’s happening today:

• The King will formally open a new parliamentary session with the King’s Speech, his first since ascending the throne.

Stay with us and we’ll bring you all the latest developments as they unfold.

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The once lingering member for Mid Bedfordshire may have left parliament, but her presence is still very much felt in SW1. 

Nadine Dorries’ latest book, entitled The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson, was initially set to be published on 28th September, just three days before the beginning of Conservative Party Conference. But owing to “the required legal process needed to share [Dorries’] story”, it was delayed to a new date — but one of no less political sensitivity: 9th November 2023. 

It means the book will hit shelves just two days after the King’s Speech is delivered tomorrow, in what has been trailed by ministers as an important staging post on the long road to a general election. But crucially, ahead of its publication date, The Plot’s key revelations are now being drip-fed out via the Daily Mail, the newspaper that employs Dorries as a columnist and has been granted exclusive access to the fruits of her sleuthing.

The Plot, which purports to survey the recent history of the Conservative Party going back to the early 2000s, has been hyped by its author for some time. In her lengthy resignation broadside, in which the ex-culture secretary took aim at the PM for helming a “zombie parliament”, Dorries took solace in the “comfort” she would soon derive from explaining how the PM “achieved this undemocratic upheaval”.

Dorries’ thesis, rehearsed at length in the pages of the Daily Mail, is that Boris Johnson was brought down as prime minister by a secretive “cabal” of No 10 insiders — and that the same conclave masterminded the downfalls of Liz Truss, Theresa May, David Cameron and, even, Iain Duncan Smith in 2003.

Dorries names cabinet minister Michael Gove, former No 10 advisers Dominic Cummings and Dougie Smith, and “Dr No” as among the guilty parties. This “Dr No” figure, it is alleged, is an insider so brutish that he once butchered a rabbit dear to a former partner in revenge.

Trouble for Rishi Sunak?

Dorries suggests that, by 2019, this shadowy constellation of Downing Street movers and shakers had already decided that Rishi Sunak  — then a mere under-secretary of state reporting to communities secretary Sajid Javid — should be prime minister.

In this way, the useful electoral asset that is Boris Johnson would serve as a mere conduit as Gove, Cummings and co. — manipulating and manoeuvring inside the walls of Whitehall — phased in Sunakian rule. How events have unfurled since then, through Johnson’s rolling political scandals and Liz Truss’ blunder ridden-premiership, have done so according to “The Movement’s” grand design. 

Thus, in The Plot, Dorries weaves her present-day grievances at Sunak through the recent history of the Conservative Party; it is an analytical thread that somehow leads her to the defenestration of Iain Duncan-Smith as Conservative leader and perhaps beyond (could Robert Peel, ousted as prime minister in 1846, have been a potential victim of “The Movement’s” sly politicking — or some equally crafty precursor cabal? Will the Mail on Sunday’s political editor Glen Owen ask Dominic Cummings his view of the Corn Laws?). 

The former culture secretary’s narrative has, of course, prompted a series of splashes in the Mail, but much of Westminster will be uninterested in her hagiographic retelling of recent Conservative history. Dorries is one of increasingly few Johnson acolytes who are willing to publicly fight his corner; her broader spiel, sensational though it seems, suffers from the not insignificant drawbacks of being both questionable in veracity and politically impotent. 

However, other shocking revelations flowing from Dorries’ pen, supplementary to The Plot’s overarching narrative, will undoubtedly trigger ructions in SW1. For instance, the Mail has also run with the story that former chairman Jake Berry once wrote to police because he was concerned that allegations of rape against an MP had not been properly dealt with, and that one victim was getting support paid for by the Conservative Party.

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, himself a former party chairman, was questioned on the topic yesterday. He told Sky News that there was a “limit” to what he could say, because the Mail on Sunday article “doesn’t contain any details of the persons involved”. But he added: “We take any allegations exceptionally seriously.

Asked about payments to an alleged victim on Times Radio, Dowden insisted it was not “something that crossed my desk as chairman of the Conservative Party”, although he acknowledged: “It may be the case. I’m not denying that it could be the case that those payments were made”.

Dowden also denied recognising claims in Dorries’ book that there are “30 bad” MPs “out there” at any given time.

And this morning, Rishi Sunak described the allegations as “very serious” as he urged anyone with evidence of criminal acts to talk to the police.

This story, of course, is deeply unhelpful for the prime minister, who intends to use this week to continue the hard reboot of his premiership first signalled at Conservative Party conference last month. New measures on boosting North Sea production with annual oil and gas licensing rounds, the introduction of a civil offence to fine charities found to have given tents to rough sleepers and a ban on smoking for future generations are among the proposals expected to line Sunak’s intensely political path to a general election.

But — beyond any division Dorries hopes to inspire with The Plot — her aforementioned account will contribute to the deep feeling of malaise which presently envelops the Conservative parliamentary party. It compounds recent revelations at the Covid inquiry and the slew of sleaze stories that have implicated Tory backbenchers.

Ultimately, it seems every time Sunak signals some grand new departure, seizing on ephemeral political momentum, the PM is instead reminded of how difficult his task really is. 

Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Twitter here.

Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website, providing comprehensive coverage of UK politics. Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.

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Most people know that proper nutrition is essential for living a healthy life. Unfortunately, many of us are less clear on what a good diet looks like in practice, and may feel intimidated by the ever-expanding list of options available.

Atkins, Paleo, Mediterranean, South Beach, Carnivore – there’s certainly no shortage of popular ‘fad’ diets to choose from. This avalanche of dietary advice can be overwhelming, especially when different sources offer competing and contradictory information. Navigating all this can be tricky, which is why having an official set of guidelines can be such an invaluable tool.

Indeed, this is the thinking behind the current dietary guidelines review process in the US, which takes place every five years. Over the next 18 months, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) committee will sit in Washington and pour over all the latest developments in nutrition science. It will then publish its updated guidelines for Americans, which will remain in force for 2025-2030.

This attempt to offer well-researched and up to date nutritional advice to the public is laudable – and British policymakers should be taking note. Sadly, this an area where the UK is clearly lagging behind our American colleagues.

Our equivalent healthy eating model – the Eatwell Guide – hasn’t been updated since 2016, making it woefully outdated by the standards of nutrition science. The advice it offers is also barebones compared to the DGA’s guidance, with many crucial topics being excluded entirely.

To fix this, the government might consider a review process along similar lines to the US, with the aim of expanding both the scope and the quality of the information on offer to the public.

Take oral health as an example. Currently, the Guide makes no mention of the importance of dental care, despite years of research connecting oral health with a range of whole-body health issues. Problems in the mouth have been linked with a range of serious disease, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even depression and anxiety. A correlation has also been found between periodontitis (gum disease) and obesity, with the chief culprit likely being sugar.

Studies show that children and adolescents who consume too much sugar are 2.33 times more likely to be overweight or obese. Over time, sugar can also damage the teeth by acting as a food source for acid-producing bacteria in the mouth. This increases the risk of tooth decay, and has been known to cause caries and other dental problems.

Whilst it may be tempting to treat oral and dietary health as separate concerns, the reality is these issues are deeply entwined. Indeed, it is a well-known phrase in dentistry that the mouth is the ‘gateway to the body’; meaning it can be an early warning system for poor dietary habits.

An updated Eatwell Guide could acknowledge this fact by providing clear, practical advice for how to protect the teeth and gums. It could also promote healthful alternatives to sugary foods, such as fruit, certain brands of protein bar, or sugar-free yogurts. These kinds of easy dietary ‘swaps’ can make all the difference in limiting sugar consumption.

A new guide could also advocate for sugar-free chewing gum (SFG), which research shows has benefits for both oral and dietary health. By stimulating the production of saliva, SFG serves to lower oral acidity levels and ‘remineralise’ the teeth, thus counteracting the negative effects of sugar. It also may have an impact on regulating appetite. One study found that gum can reduce cravings and increase feelings of fullness – making it a potentially valuable dietary aid.

These kinds of small, simple preventive health tools are critical for people to know about, and should be front and centre of any new set of official guidelines.

Of course, the government shouldn’t be the only ones making this case. Clinicians of all stripes (doctors, nutritionists, dentists) have a role to play in helping patients develop the dietary plans they need to live better lives. Too often, we assume that simply giving people quality information is enough to encourage meaningful behaviour change. Yet the reality is that without also providing the tools people need to apply this knowledge, such advice risks falling on deaf ears.

In my work as a dental practitioner, I meet patients every day who desperately want to live healthier lives. Unfortunately, a lifetime of bad dental habits and a limited dietary knowledge has left them without the skills they need to achieve this. The government should be proactive in addressing this gap by offering sound dietary advice which is accessible, well-researched, and extensive in scope.

As everyone knows: eating well is a vital first step to living well. The role of policymakers and health professionals is to illuminate for the public precisely how to do this in practice.

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Boris Johnson called the Treasury “the pro-death squad” as the government sought to build support for a loosening of Covid restrictions, the Covid inquiry heard today.

Citing a diary entry by Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, Dermot Keating, a counsel to the official Covid inquiry, said Johnson referred to the Treasury, then helmed by Rishi Sunak as chancellor, as the “pro-death squad”.

The then-prime minister and others inside Downing Street were said to have used the language.

Although, when the language was presented before Stuart Glassborow, who was Johnson’s deputy principal private secretary at the time, he told the hearing: “As I said, this refers to meeting a couple of years ago. I don’t recall that specific phrase. 

“I see that this is from Patrick’s notebook. I don’t dispute what’s recorded but I don’t recall the phrase at all”.

The language was recorded in Vallance’s diary as being used in a meeting in January 2021, when Johnson was setting out his ambitions for the gradual easing of Covid restrictions

The entry said: “The PM is on record as saying that he wants tier 3, 1 March; tier 2, 1 April; tier 1, 1 May; and nothing by September, and he ends up by saying the team must bring in ‘the pro death squad from HMT”.

The inquiry also heard that decision-making in Downing Street was “a bit of a Punch and Judy” because of the “enormously chaotic tug of war” between the Treasury and scientists. 

Another section of Vallance’s diary stated: “Interviewees involved in discussions over social restrictions, variously described central decision-making for much of 2020 as ‘a bit of a Punch and Judy’.

“An enormously chaotic tug of war and simply not a proper bringing together of science, public health and economic considerations”.

Last month, a WhatsApp message was revealed to the Covid inquiry which showed Dame Angela McLean, chief governmental scientific adviser, referred to the then-chancellor Rishi Sunak as “Dr Death the chancellor”.

Subsequently, lead counsel Hugo Keith asked Professor John Edmunds whether the comments, which took place in an exchange on 20 September 2020, were made in relation to the “eat out to help out” scheme, championed by Sunak, which ran in August 2020.

Professor Edmunds replied: “Honestly, it’s so long ago I wouldn’t know, but it could well be.”

Naomi Fulop, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, responded: “This inquiry has made clear that there was absolutely no consultation with the government’s scientific advisers on Eat Out to Help Out, that it contributed to the loss of thousands of lives, put unnecessary pressure on the NHS and plunged the country into a brutal second lockdown.

“It’s unbearable to think that if it wasn’t for Rishi Sunak’s reckless, unscientific and callous approach, my mum might still be with me.

“When our current chief scientific adviser has referred to our prime minister as ‘Dr Death’, how can any of us have faith in our government if another pandemic strikes”.

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Over 70 per cent of Conservative members believe former UKIP leader Nigel Farage should be allowed to join their party if he were to seek membership, a survey has found. 

The survey, conducted by the Conservative Home website, shows 72.27 per cent of those asked say Farage should be admitted to the Conservative Party, should he seek membership. 

23.53 per cent said he should not be admitted if he sought membership, while 4. 2 per cent said they “don’t know”. 

The question of whether Nigel Farage, the former Brexit Party leader, should join the Conservatives was a recurrent theme at the party’s annual conference held last month. 

Farage proved something of a star attraction at the conference, with him attending to carry out presenting duties for GB News.

During the conference, Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands responded “No, no, no” when questioned whether Farage should be admitted to the Conservatives. 

He told the i: “I don’t think that Nigel Farage is truly a Conservative with a large C. He spent most of his political career trying to damage and undermine the Conservative Party.”

Hands insisted that a “decision had been taken” to allow Farage to attend the conference as “a media person rather than a political person”.

In an apparent response to Hand’s flat denial, Nigel Farage subsequently joked that “I’d be very surprised if I were not Conservative leader by ‘26. Very surprised”.

He told PoliticsHome that “They think I’m joking. … I’m serious”. 

Although he later admitted the statement was made “in jest”. 

Hands aside, other card-carrying Conservatives have seemed more welcoming. And Jacob Rees Mogg has said the Conservatives should “roll out the red carpet” to bring Farage into the fold.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak, when asked if he would admit Farage into the Conservative Party, has said: “I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our ideals, to our values”.

Farage was a member of the Conservative Party until 1992 when he left over the Maastricht Treaty.

He went onto become a UKIP MEP and in 2006 UKIP leader. He serves as the honorary president of Reform UK, the restyled Brexit Party, after he was succeeded as leader by Richard Tice. 

Conservative Home’s survey panel consists of over 3,300 members of the Conservative Party, who receive the survey by email. Any party member can join the panel, and must send their name, email address and a copy of their membership certificate to the website. 

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