Will Amber run? Speculation shows no sign of abating
Will she or won’t she? Hastings MP Amber Rudd continues to tease the political establishment, the media and her constituents on whether or not she intends to be a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party when Theresa May eventually stands down.
Ms Rudd has said the she is, ‘not supporting anybody at the moment’ after rampant speculation in the weekend’s ‘papers that she could form a partnership with ex-foreign secretary Boris Johnson that would see her become Chancellor of the Exchequer in a Johnson led government. But whoever does win her support will have to be committed to avoiding what she describes as a ‘damaging’ no-deal Brexit.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live today Ms Rudd said it is ‘entirely possible’ she will be in the running to be the next Conservative leader – and likely Prime Minister – saying she was keeping the door ‘slightly ajar’ to the possibility.
Speculation began to surface in recent weeks that Ms Rudd had ruled herself out of a bid for the leadership of the party – her 346 vote majority is seen by many to be a potential stumbling block to any leadership bid.
Leading Conservatives are jockeying for position for the top job after Mrs May said she would make way for a new Conservative Party leader after the terms of the UK’s divorce from the European Union have been agreed.
Asked by Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 5 Live if she was planning to be the next party leader, Ms Rudd said: “I am going to continue to support the Prime Minister. She has said, as you rightly say, that she is going to leave after the Withdrawal Agreement or the first stage is through.
“Frankly I think what we should all be doing, which is what I am doing, is trying to support her, making sure that we do just that.
“I don’t have a plan for it (a leadership bid). I am choosing my words carefully here.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-47949022/amber-rudd-leadership-bid-is-entirely-possible
Ms Rudd told the interviewer that she was ‘not particularly working on’ a leadership strategy then added: “I think what I have said is I am not planning to run. I have kept the door slightly ajar but I am not committed to it at the moment.”
Asked who she would pick from the potential candidates already being touted, she said: “…I will sit with my One Nation caucus group of Tory MPs who care so much about compassionate conservatism and we will be interrogating them when the time comes.”
She went on to say that if none of the candidates were judged to be good enough she could then throw her hat in the ring: “That is entirely possible, I don’t rule it out,” she said.
Last month speaking to reporters on the doorstep of her London home Ms Rudd was asked about her leadership ambitions and said: “…no consideration at all of any leadership bid, huge support for the Prime Minister at what is really quite a difficult time.”
The Independent said today that Ms Rudd’s backing will be hugely influential, because she is seen as the figurehead of the One Nation group of Conservative MPs, the counterpoint of the hard Brexit-backing European Research Group.
Based upon the last election her majority was really quite tight with Cllr Chowney not too far behind. I would think base upon that and where the Conservatives are now virtually “Dead in the Water.” I don’t think she will be around to even think about this potential leadership of a dysfunctional and fragmented party.
The referendum has been betrayed by this party and like Mrs May, Amber Rudd is a Remainer who has not exactly honoured the majority who want out of the European Mafia Club. I know several die hard Conservative voters who have made it quite clear they would never voted for them again and this does include people who have voted IN and OUT.
I think Amber’s only chance of survival in this disintegrating lot will be to find a bullet proof constituency where they will vote Conservative no matter how bad this lot have showed themselves to be in governance,
With a general election maybe or maybe not on the cards it would be a good idea to have a close look at each party’s manifesto. I make this point because on reading the Hastings Labour party’s manifesto last year it was pretty shocking to read that Councillor Peter Chowney has declared that the saving of Robsack Meadow from development was one of the Hastings Labour Party’s “Achievements”. There are those who fought for so long and for so hard to save this special little habitat from development (7 years of battle) and all along the way the council did their very best to put multi storey apartments on this site and it was only thanks to the Independent Government Inspector who conducted the hearings on our Local Plan that it became clear that this important site should not be built upon. Ever. This council should not claim the saving of Robsack Meadow as one of their “achievements” – this is a false declaration. They did everything possible to thwart the campaigners and it is shameful to see this statement within their Manifesto statement.