What Next? The Big Question for the Tories
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As MPs part ways for summer break, the question of ‘what next?’ looms large. It seems almost impossible that this Parliament will last to the end of its five year term, and the chances that Theresa May will last even to the next election look even slimmer. Talk is already bubbling, from both within the party and without, about who will be the next Tory leader.
David Davis? Boris Johnson? Jacob Rees-Mogg? Davis has launched a bid before, and considering his position at the helm of the most talked-about issue currently in politics, he seems a fairly logical choice. He’s considered to be something of a unifying force, much unlike Johnson, who was found to be potentially ‘divisive’ in an internal report carried out by the Conservatives prior to the election. This was mostly due to his role in the Vote Leave campaign, the reason Johnson cited for deciding not to run for leadership until 2019.
Rees-Mogg raises all kinds of questions. He is arguably the most relatable of all the Tory public figures (who doesn’t know a Sixtus Dominic Boniface, right?), but his politics is far from warm and cuddly. Deeply right wing, he voted against same sex marriage, he wants to repeal the Human Rights Act and his stance on climate change is less than encouraging. He is arguably the most dangerous of the potential candidates, although a recent ‘Ready for Rees-Mogg’ campaign online gained 20,000 signatures, and has £3,000 in the bank. It’s difficult to see how much of this is genuine of course, but if it is? Like Johnson, his politics could be forgotten in favour of easily digested sound bites and novelty Instagram factor.
Of course the Tories don’t want a second election, and a new leader before an election leaves them in a similar predicament to the one May was in after David Cameron resigned; with a new PM who was not given a mandate by the public. However, this is most likely at the bottom of the list of the party’s concerns, as Corbyn gains momentum and their pricey agreement with the DUP totters worryingly close the edge. The current state of parliament is far from sustainable, whether you’re a Tory or not, and what’s next for the country is dependant largely on the next few moves of the Conservative party.