Land of hopeful Tories

Good afternoon, Crunchers. This is Mason Boycott-Owen, here with your Sunday dose of politics as Tory conference kicks off in Birmingham. 
IT’S THE FINAL CONFERENCE (DADA DA DA): Pray for us all — the warm white wine season is entering its final throes as the Tories kick off their first party conference since leaving government.
But but but: Spare a thought too for HM Opposition, with their conference already overshadowed by war in the Middle East, the dramatic resignation of a Labour MP on Saturday night and by the (ahem) tell-all memoirs of the leader who last propelled them to election victory. More on all that in a bit.
What to watch for: The only story in Birmingham is of course the Tory leadership contest, as rivals Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat peacock around the International Convention Centre trying to get their colleagues to like them. Banners of each leadership hopeful are already hanging around the conference centre.
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Pageant day: Rishi Sunak, the party’s outgoing leader, has broadly vanished from view and is not planning to give a big speech. Instead he’s giving way to the four candidates to give separate speeches on the conference’s final day on Wednesday. Ahead of that, Tugendhat and Badenoch will face on-stage questions on Monday, with Jenrick and Cleverly doing the same on Tuesday.
When 4 become 2: The candidates will then be whittled down to two by further rounds of Tory MP voting, on Oct. 9 and 10. The final pair are then presented to party members for a final decision, with the new leader crowned on Nov. 2. But there’s now a concerted push in some quarters to get the final two candidates to agree to bring that date forward a bit, to get ahead of Labour’s Oct. 30 budget and the U.S. election on Nov. 5. The Daily Mail’s Jason Groves got the scoop on Friday night.
Who’s up for it? Jenrick reckons it’s a good idea. “I think that the budget coming up is likely to be very harmful … and I want to be the one at the dispatch box making that argument,” he told Times Radio. Tugendhat also backed the plan, though Badenoch sounded less convinced. “No, it’s fine,” she told Times Radio when asked if the end date should change.
Kemi v Rob: The main event this morning was on BBC1 when Laura Kuenssberg put the two frontrunners, Badenoch and Jenrick, through their paces on her show. Cleverly and Tugendhat did not get slots — much to their reported chagrin — having both appeared on the show earlier in the summer.
Play nice: In a bid for kinder, gentler politics, Laura K kicked off by asking Jenrick and Badenoch to say something nice about each other. Badenoch said her opponent was a “good family man,” while Jenrick said he liked her “directness.” 
Economy vs migration: In the first interview Laura K asked whether Jenrick would accept a hit to the economy to fulfil his immigration-cutting pledges. And he — almost — said yes. “I don’t think that’s going to happen Laura, but I do think this is an absolutely central challenge. If you’re asking me, would I prioritize this, then yes I would,” he said. 
Setting the weather: Kuenssberg also pressed Jenrick on the most interesting thing kicking around the Sunday papers this morning — Badenoch’s article in the Sunday Telegraph on culture and integration. Laura K asked Jenrick: “Do you agree with your rival Kemi Badenoch that some cultures are less valid than others?” He replied: “Look, I think culture matters for integration. That’s an important question.” Which of course is not an answer.
The Trump Q: Jenrick was also asked whether he still backs Donald Trump for the U.S. presidency, despite the former president being “liable for sexual abuse” and having spent the last TV debate “spreading lies about Haitian immigrants.” Jenrick insisted the Conservatives have strong links to the Republicans in the U.S. and that it is “natural” that he would lean towards their candidate. But he didn’t vocally back Trump in the same way he has before. 
Prep-prepared line klaxon: Grabbing his moment at the end of the interview, Jenrick announced that he wants the Conservative Party to be the “trade union for the working people of this country.” Whatever that means. 
Are you a racist, shadow minister? Badenoch’s turn in the hot seat was way more interesting — and way less comfortable to watch — as she duked it out with Kuenssberg over her views on multi-culturalism. Laura K asked: “Which cultures in your view are less valid than others?” “Oh, lots,” said Kemi, looking surprised that one would even consider asking. “Cultures that believe in child marriage for instance, or that women don’t have equal rights. I actually think it’s extraordinary that people think that’s an unusual or controversial thing to say. Of course not all cultures are equally valid.” 
Yeah, but if you had to pick a least favorite one, though: Asked to name one, Badenoch said: “It’s not about labelling cultures. Culture includes a lot of things. I’m not talking about cuisine, I’m talking about customs.” Badenoch added as an example: “I would knock on doors […] and you’d see somebody at the door who says ‘I can’t speak to you, I’ll get my husband.’ I don’t think that’s equally valid as our culture.” 
What are you asking: Taking issue with Laura K’s questioning as she was pressed on the point repeatedly, Badenoch said: “What are you suggesting that politicians should do? That we should just accept everything? And that everything is fine?” She added: “I want this country’s culture to stay the same. I left another country [Nigeria] and came here because I thought it was better. I don’t want this place to turn into the place I was running away from.” And on it went.
Private NHS: The other really interesting moment came when Badenoch was asked whether the NHS should remain free at the point of use forever. “That is a consensus that we have in this country,” Badenoch replied after a pause, her legendary plain-speaking suddenly deserting her. “There are many ways to deliver a free-at-the-point-of-use service that doesn’t require the government to be involved in every aspect.”
And if that’s not enough Tory leadership stuff for you … Sky’s Trevor Phillips had a clean sweep of Tory leader hopefuls on his own morning show.
Congratulations on your new airstrike: First up was Badenoch, who did not hold back when asked what she would say to Israel following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Friday. “I would be congratulating prime minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu. I think what they did was extraordinary. I think Israel is showing that it has moral clarity with dealing with its enemies, and the enemies of the west as well.”
I’d say what I said: Cleverly didn’t go nearly as far, saying he would repeat his advice as foreign secretary to Netanyahu: “You do have a right to defend yourself, absolutely — they’re surrounded by people who would do them harm — but when they do so they have to abide by international law, they have to be conscious of civilian casualties, they have to act with professionalism and restraint.” 
Iran’s the issue: Tugendhat answered by saying he would tell Iran that this is “no time for escalation” after seeing Syria and Lebanon “destroyed” by Iran’s activities and support of militias in the region over decades. Jenrick told Phillips that although we “all want peace in the Middle East … Israel cannot be expected to live alongside terrorists.” 
Turning to the election defeat … Cleverly would not give a name to Phillips when asked which past leader he blames most for the Tories’ election loss. But Tugendhat was more forthcoming — he blamed a “combination” of all the recent Tory leaders who made a mess of things. “Each of them bear their own share of the responsibility. Each of them got things wrong,” he said. 
Personality politics: Cleverly also rejected the suggestion that his MP colleagues don’t like him because of his off-color jokes, such as those about rape. “Well, the British people, who have had a chance to see me with all my faults and flaws, I am still the most popular candidate for them,” he said, pointing to polls which do indeed show exactly that.  And he responded with a hall of fame forced laugh when asked whether, as foreign secretary, he was — as Iain Duncan Smith put it — “a wet rag kissing China’s backside.” Cleverly replied: “He’s wrong.”
Oi posho: For his part, Tugendhat rejected suggestions that the U.K. doesn’t need yet another privately-educated man to lead the country. “Trevor, I think the Conservative Party needs a leader that can lead. You can judge me on a decision my parents made 35 years ago, or you can judge me on the decisions I’ve made for the past 35 years.”  
But the biggest row of the day … was, predictably, triggered by Badenoch — this time on Times Radio, where she said that statutory maternity pay is “excessive.” She said business regulation has “gone too far” and that businesses should be allowed to make their own decisions about what they offer employees. She added that women used to plan having a baby “around the seasons” and that people need to have “more personal responsibility” if they feel their level of maternity pay is not enough. Watch the clip.
All kicking off: All the other leadership candidates moved rapidly to distance themselves from her comments, knowing an unpopular opinion when they see one. “I don’t agree with Kemi on this one,” Jenrick told a CPS fringe event this afternoon. “[U.K.] Maternity pay is already amongst the lowest of any country in the OECD … why would we want to make it harder?”
Melvyn in, Priti out: Meanwhile my Playbook colleague Dan Bloom texts in to say the already-beaten Tory leadership rejects are taking very different attitudes to defeat. Mel Stride, who was talked up as a no-hoper before outperforming expectations, will be at conference. Priti Patel, who was talked up as a dark horse before crashing out in the first round, will not.
LABOUR UNITY LATEST: ICYMI on Saturday night Rosie Duffield, the Labour MP for Canterbury, has quit the party over the sleaze and winter fuel rows. 
Duff note: Sharing her decision — and scathing letter to Keir Starmer — with the Sunday Times, Duffield said: “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale,” adding: “I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party.” 
Great timing: Duffield has been a fierce critic of Starmer and the Labour leadership for several years, often around the party’s handling of trans rights, but has decided that the time is now right to quit the party — just a few weeks after holding her seat at the general election. 
Watch Pat’s face live: An interview with Duffield was aired on Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday show, with Pat McFadden, the Cabinet Office supremo, sat forced to watch in a bizarre hostage video situation where we could watch his unmoving face. 
I’m sorry: Duffield told Laura K that she is “desperately sorry” to those who voted for her as a Labour MP, but didn’t suggest she would, you know, allow them to vote again. 
Problem with women: Asked whether she thinks Starmer has a problem with women, Duffield said: “I’m afraid I do, yes. I’ve experienced it myself. Most backbenchers I’m friends with are women and most refer to the men surrounding him, the young men, as ‘the lads,’ and it’s very clear that the lads are in charge. They’ve now got their Downing Street passes. They’re the same lads that were briefing against me in the papers, and other prominent female MPs.” 
Pat’s reaction: “You can see that she’s been disillusioned with the party leader, with the party maybe more generally, for quite a long time,” McFadden responded, adding: “I don’t think this is something that has just developed in the last few months. I’m disappointed to see her go, I like Rosie, but ultimately I’m not surprised at the decision that she’s made.” 
Apparent avarice latest: Having vented about Starmer’s love of freebies, Duffield took to X this morning to defend her own decision to *checks notes* accept tickets to The Open golf tournament. Duffield said she had been asked by a neighboring MP to help promote the event, which — just so we’re clear — is perhaps the most famous golf tournament in the world and has a prize pot of $17 million. 
Speaking of which: Another weekend, another set of clothing donations to the prime minister, almost as if he were a branch of Scope. On Friday night the Guardian revealed £16,000 more in free clobber was given to Starmer by, you guessed it, Labour peer and donor Waheed Alli. 
No equivalence: McFadden insisted there would be “more in” the story of Alli’s donations if there was any suggestion he was being given something in return for the money and clothing. “I don’t think there’s any equivalence, any equivalence at all between that kind of campaign donation and some of the stuff that went on in recent years,” he said.  
Toot toot: The Sunday Times has published a helpful timeline of the scandal, which it broke, just in case anyone else tries to take credit at awards season. 
Spicy source quote of the week: “He wants everything centering around him. He is Thomas Cromwell.” — A “longstanding donor” on Waheed Alli in the Sunday Times. 
THE TOAD RIBBITS: Squatting like a giant toad across Tory conference, Boris Johnson’s memoirs, demurely titled “Unleashed,” are overshadowing the news agenda this weekend, with more extracts from the former PM serialized in the Mail. Here are some of the highlights: 
Conspiracy of silence: Johnson thinks Covid was man-made in a Chinese lab, put together like “the witches in Macbeth,” before the “frisky little critter jumped out of the test tube and started replicating all over the world.” The Mail on Sunday says this shatters the “conspiracy of silence” over the theory. 
Bojo a mano: He also reveals a “manly pep talk” with Prince Harry to convince him to remain in the U.K. rather than jetting off to the land of wellness. “Boris succeeded in delivering Brexit, but even he couldn’t stop Megxit,” a “friend” quips in the MoS. Lolz.
Blue sky thinking: The then-prime minister considered a military raid to seize Dutch Covid jabs, before abandoning the plan because invading a NATO ally would have been “nuts.” Well, yes. 
Inflated sense of impending doom: There’s also a story of how Johnson was swept out to sea in an inflatable kayak while holidaying in Scotland. 
Still to come: The Mail on Sunday says the next extracts will reveal how Johnson “finally got Brexit done” and how he took “delicious” revenge on Emmanuel Macron. Laura K will be broadcasting her TV interview with the ex-PM this coming Thursday, in case you want more of this stuff. 
What next for Boris: Despite his lucrative deal with the Mail, reports last month suggested that Johnson is being tapped up for a senior role as his alma mater, the Telegraph, once it is finally sold. The deadline for bids for the once-Spectator stablemate closed on Friday. 
Israel-Lebanon latest: Israel is on high military alert over potential retaliation from Lebanon after an airstrike in Beirut killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday. Israeli military today continued airstrikes in Lebanon, with warplanes attacking “dozens” of targets according to the Israel Defense Forces. 
Brexit reset: The Observer has a helpful preview of Keir Starmer’s first visit to Brussels as PM this coming Wednesday, which it says could pave the way for a “springtime overhaul” of the Brexit deal. 
Rwanda staffing: The Sunday Mirror reports that civil servants tried to persuade 200 asylum seekers to accept £150,000 packages to move to Rwanda. 
Labour together again: The Observer picks up clamoring from “senior figures in Starmer’s team” for Jonathan Ashworth, the chair of Labour Together who lost his seat at the election, to come into government to help with the dire state of No. 10 communications. 
Fixing the foundation [courses]: Labour is reportedly looking at raising tuition fees to ease the funding crisis on universities, whilst bringing back maintenance grants for poorer students, to ease the funding crisis of people. It made the Times’ Saturday splash. (Big up the i for getting wind of this weeks ago.)
Justice for women: The Sunday Times reports that ministers are planning to decriminalize non-payment of the BBC TV license fee. In a victory for either feminism and/or laziness, depending on which briefing you believe, the paper was told that convictions are “no longer worth the hassle” and that the current system unfairly penalizes women. Special mention goes to the Evening Standard’s Tristan Kirk, who has been banging this particular drum for a long time, revealing shocking stories about vulnerable people dragged through the courts in the name of auntie Beeb. 
Strikes again: Despite Labour’s initial success in getting pay deals sorted, another union is threatening strikes. This time Nicola Ranger, the new head of the Royal College of Nursing, told the Sunday Times that there could be further strikes after staff rejected a 5.5 percent pay rise. She told the paper that she wants to see rises of £7,500.
Pick of the fringe: Onward’s general election report with Katie Lam and James Kanagasooriam, ICC: Onward Marquee (4p.m.) … Wendy Morton and Andrea Jenkyns at Popular Conservatism event, ICC: ThinkTent Marquee (4.30 p.m.) … Rishi Sunak hosts welcome reception, ICC: Symphony Hall (5 p.m.) … CPS election “post mortem” with Mel Stride, Danny Kruger, Rachel Wolf and Ben Houchen, ICC Hall 4 (5 p.m.) … John Curtice in conversation with Demos, Hyatt : Drawing Room (6 p.m.)
Party people: Spectator and Natural Gas Drinks Reception (5.30 p.m.) … Conservative Friends of Israel reception with Kemi Badenoch and Andrew Mitchell due to speak (8.30 p.m.) … One Nation Caucus drinks reception with Tom Tugendhat (8.30 p.m.) … 1922 Committee/ConHome party with speech by Kemi Badenoch (9.30 p.m.)
Ayesha Hazarika on Times Radio (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.): Conservative leadership contender James Cleverly … shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell.
Westminster Hour (BBC Radio 4, 10 p.m.):  Culture Minister Chris Bryant … Tory MP George Freeman … the FT’s Miranda Green … the Telegraph’s Ben Riley-Smith.
MONDAY
TORIES: Conference day 2: Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendat on-stage Q&As.
REPUBLICANS: Trump assassination attempt hearing.
TUESDAY
TORIES: Conference day 3.:Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly on-stage Q&As.
AMERICA: Vice-presidential debate in the U.S. election.
WEDNESDAY
TORIES: Conference day 4: Leadership candidates’ speech day.
BREXIT: Keir Starmer in Brussels to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
RUSSIA: Court hearing for six accused of spying for Russia in the U.K.
THURSDAY
JOHNSON: Laura Kuenssberg interview with Boris Johnson airs on the BBC.
LABOUR: Yvette Cooper attends G7 interior ministers meeting.
SATURDAY
REPUBLICANS: Trump returns to Butler, Pennsylvania, for rally after assassination attempt.
SUNDAY
ISRAEL: Israeli president Isaac Herzog speaks at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism World Summit.
Writing Monday morning Playbook: Stefan Boscia.
Thanks: To my editor Jack Blanchard for giving Crunch some Sunday sparkle.
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