Tory leader wannabes schmooze new election candidates to win future support
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The message pinged into inboxes shortly before Christmas.
“A massive congratulations on being selected for your respective constituencies,” read the opening welcome of the email, sent to people newly picked as Tory candidates for the general election.
And then: “I wanted to get in touch on behalf of SoS Defence Grant Shapps (my boss), regarding an online session he’s putting on.”
Mr Shapps, as the man overseeing the nation’s Armed Forces, had a packed brief back then: the escalating Israel-Gaza conflict and helping Ukraine fight off Russia’s invasion, to name but two.
But the long-time Cabinet minister, who has run for the Conservative Party leadership once and is said to be eyeing up a second go, had managed to find time to brief the would-be Tory MPs.
The message from the Shapps aide went on: “He’s had a few positions in Parliament since his election in 2005 – including party chairman, so he’s played vital roles in helping orchestrate some successful campaigns.
“The session he’s hosting will be a great chance for everyone to talk shop on all things campaigns and strategy, and for him to share some pointers so we’re in as good a position as possible for next year’s election!”
The email was all above board, just an experienced colleague seeking to pass on his political advice. But to the ear of one recipient with a history of running Tory leadership contests it had the ring of a man with higher ambitions on his mind.
It is Tory MPs who whittle leadership contenders down to the final two before the members pick a new party leader. Anyone who has supported new MPs to get elected might hope to then have their support when it comes time for a leadership contest.
Mr Shapps, it turns out, is not alone. An array of prominent Tories tipped by colleagues to seek the crown when it becomes available have been courting their party’s new election candidates.
Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister who is championing a tougher border policy after quitting his old ally Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet in December, has met or talked to dozens of them.
Penny Mordaunt, the House of Commons leader and one of the favourites on current odds, has written letters offering to connect candidates to donors or raise their causes in the Chamber.
And then there is one of the party’s most famous names who is said to want to be kingmaker as she spearheads the new populist Right: Liz Truss, who has been holding drinks events.
The activity, as is so often true in the build-up to past leadership contests, can be seen in an innocent light. Just wiser heads helping out newbies, it is said. All for the good of the party.
But the political incentive for anyone who wants to succeed Mr Sunak as the next Tory leader to schmooze the party’s new parliamentary candidates is as plain as day.
The last general election in 2019 saw 109 new Tory MPs. That was close to a third of the total.
The number after the next election will likely be far fewer, given the state of the opinion polls. But even so, some new Tory MPs, such as those taking over safe seats from retiring Conservatives, will arrive.
Those votes could be critical if Mr Sunak makes it to the election, oversees a defeat and then quits as leader, triggering a contest.
MPs rumoured to have leadership ambitions have frequently sent messages to Tories after they are finally selected as a candidate for the general election.
A whole host of supportive offers were made in a letter by Ms Mordaunt sent to Tory prospective parliamentary candidates around Christmas and seen by The Telegraph.
Help raising money was offered: “I have been doing as many fundraisers as possible around the country and am also planning a number in London to help raise funds for target seats.
“I am also hosting some events between candidates and donors. There is no need for you to do anything, my team will be in touch when we have opportunities for you.”
As was the promotion of pet projects: “I am always keen to raise issues and highlight good work going on in your community on the floor of the House.
“Many MPs use Business Questions on a Thursday in the Commons to do that, and often praise community campaigners and councillors etc to get their achievements on record. If there are particular issues – positive or negative – you wish to highlight, please do feel free to let me know about them.”
The letter ended with “do let me know if there is anything I can do to support you” and a swish of a black pen creating a “Penny” signature, first name only.
Mr Shapps, Ms Mordaunt and Ms Truss have all set up WhatsApp groups with new Tory candidates.
A member of one group summed up the activity: “It’s like: this announcement’s happened today, this is how you might want to spin it, this is a useful thing you might want to say on social media, p.s. guys, let me know if you want me to say anything at the Despatch Box.”
Some of those seeking to become Tory MPs for the first time who talked to this newspaper sensed the offers of help and advice had more behind them than pure altruism.
One dubbed the WhatsApp groups an attempt to create supportive “little influencers”.
Another said the candidates themselves have realised they could turn the interest to their advantage, “dangling a carrot” of possible future support in return for favours.
But the approaches are not universally welcomed. A third Tory candidate said: “We know that to win we have to unify. This is obvious. So we are not happy if MPs are not unified.”
Such behaviour will come as a little surprise to Downing Street. When a governing party is 20 percentage points behind its main rival with an election round the corner it is inevitable.
Boris Johnson liked to tell aides that almost every Tory MP at almost every moment has half an eye on how they could become leader, an insight based on personal experience.
Which makes the engagement from Ms Truss – some candidates say it’s the most intensive – all the more intriguing.
The last Conservative Party annual conference was the trigger for the tactic.
An email from Ms Truss to some new candidates in 2023 offered congratulations, shared a recent speech defending her seven-week premiership and said “perhaps we’ll bump into each other at party conference”.
One Tory candidate said they had been invited to Ms Truss’s conference hotel room where she had been hosting drinks, but declined to attend.
Few think Ms Truss believes she can be leader again. But could she be positioning herself at the head of the new Popular Conservatives group in the hope of returning to the shadow cabinet after the election?
Ms Truss’s attendance at the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage’s 60th birthday in April raised eyebrows.
Some of her former aides believe Priti Patel, another Tory seen socialising with Mr Farage in the past year, is Ms Truss’s favoured leadership candidate.
Christmas appears to have been the point when activity stepped up. Come next Christmas, the Tory leadership race may well be upon us.
Do not expect the fawning letters and private invitations to slow up any time soon.
