Crisis time is coming for the British Conservative Party. A minority is called upon to choose Boris Johnson’s successor as Prime Minister. By what criteria?
Even today, the memory of Boris Johnson evokes excitement. Members of the ruling Conservative Party have gathered in Cheltenham, south-west England, to form a close-up picture of the would-be successors, but the thermometer rises when the well-shot footage of the outgoing prime minister’s “best moments”, as they perceive them, is shown on the huge video screen. the Conservatives themselves. The crowd cheers the absent Johnson, who had managed to give the Tories an impressive 80-seat majority at the last election three years ago.
Since then, however, so many scandals have intervened, that the triumph of 2019 seems very far away. Now the Conservatives are holding an intra-party poll for Johnson’s successor as party leader and prime minister. Ballots have already been distributed, the result is expected on September 5. The chosen ones who will decide are just 160,000 people, that is, not one in 200 British adults. Will they choose 47-year-old Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who bills herself as the “Margaret Thatcher of the 21st century” and never tires of promising tax breaks? Or 42-year-old former finance minister Rishi Sunak, who bills himself as a “politician who speaks hard truths” and vows to crack down inflation?
Tras is ahead, but…
In Cheltenham, Tory supporters express their preferences with placards or the appropriate T-shirt. Others wish for “Liz for Leader”, others make it clear that they are “Ready for Rishi”. The undecideds are probably leaning towards Liz Truss, who has been leading in the polls for weeks. But Rishi Sunak’s supporters are not giving up. “Is it hard to get rid of the Rishi flags and stickers?” we ask an assistant at the entrance. “No, not at all, I think many are still undecided,” he replies. Until the beginning of September, those interested can vote by mail or online. William Prothro, a doctor by profession, has decided to vote for Sunak, because, as he says, “he is the most mature candidate. He doesn’t act like Christmas is coming and handing out presents to voters.”
The county of Gloucestershire, which also includes Cheltenham, is one of the wealthiest areas in England. And yet, many people say they are worried about rising energy costs and high food prices. But British support for Ukraine is also one of the issues that concern Tory voters. On the contrary, the unprecedented drought and unbearable heat outside the air-conditioned assembly hall do not seem to worry them. Liz Truss argues that climate change, as well as damage to the water supply network, are causing today’s problems and are not allowing people to hose down their gardens like they used to. But it is “sad” to see entire grain fields covered by photovoltaic panels, says the would-be prime minister and promises to change the relevant legislation as soon as possible. After all, he reminds, there are still plenty of natural gas reserves in the North Sea, which may well be exploited.
No one has talked about child poverty in the north of England, which is reaching alarming proportions. In general, Liz Truss says that she is against the “Cassandras” and sure that “the best days of Great Britain are ahead of us”. And yet, an old gentleman stands up and complains that “nothing seems to work in this country.” Chaos at airports and ports, rail strikes, labor shortages and a suffocating economy, “the list is endless,” the gentleman complains. What does Sunak say about all this?If nothing else, he promises to improve the ill-written health care system.
“Whoever is hungry, let him eat… tax breaks”
Tory members do not even represent 0.5% of the electorate in Great Britain. Does it give them a special sense of power to decide who the next prime minister will be? No, many say, after all the Labor Party follows the same process, the party elects its leadership and whoever wins becomes prime minister.
Rick, a climate activist who doesn’t want to reveal his real name and ultimately won’t be allowed into the room, complains that “that’s not very democratic.” Together with like-minded people, who will remain on the sidewalk, he shouts slogans about climate change. Other protesters focus on social policy issues. “Hungry? Eat tax breaks” reads a protest poster. But only members of the Conservative Party and journalists have access to the room. Will anyone listen to the demands of the protesters?“We have to at least try…” says Rick.
DW: Larisa Sventes (DPA) – Yiannis Papadimitriou
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