Major rule change to Tory leadership contest boosts Boris Johnson’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister
Under the proposed shake up, MPs in the Tory party would select four candidates for Conservative members across the country to pick from
TORY party chiefs are exploring a major rule change to its leadership contest that would boost the hopes of Boris Johnson and outsider candidates.
Under the proposed shake up, MPs would select four candidates for Conservative members across the country to pick from.
At the moment it is just two, leading to accusations that Tory grandees will try a Westminster stitch up.
The move would be a major boost to Boris as well as less known PM hopefuls.
Allies of the former Foreign Secretary say his Commons enemies are mounting an ‘Anyone But Boris’ campaign to stop him getting enough MPs’ votes to make the final two.
The idea was proposed by Tory MP rising star Johnny Mercer two weeks ago, who argued it would electrify the summer contest as Labour’s leadership race did in 2015.
The Sun has learned that the Conservative Party Board discussed it at their most recent meeting last week, after strong support from members to open the field.
'BLOODY DIFFICULT'
Tory chiefs at the meeting ask for officials to “dust down” the leadership contest rules and explore it further.
A senior Tory party source said: “Anything that shakes up the system, promotes democracy and generates more interest in the party is worth doing.
“Expanding the number of candidates is very popular with grass roots as it takes power away from MPs and gives it to them.”
But a senior Tory MP last night warned it would be a “bloody difficult” thing to do, as it would mean changing the party’s constitution which would take months to consult on and implement.
Mr Mercer told The Sun last night: “I’m delighted the Board is looking at my idea.
“It’s the right way forward. The party needs to change with the times and this would be an excellent first step”.
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In an article two weeks ago, the Army officer-turned-MP argued that picking just two candidates in the summer race to succeed Theresa May will “inevitably lead to a Brexit and a Remain candidate”, and dubbed that “the two issues most of us cannot wait to move on from”.
It also only encourages “grubby deal-making” and MPs being “bought off’ with offers of good jobs, he said.
Any proposed rule change would have to be drawn up by the executive of the 1922 Committee of all Tory MPs, and presented to the Board.
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