Tory activists plot rebellion over leadership vote ‘stitch-up’

One post-election possibility is that Rishi Sunak would resign and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden would become caretaker leader - GETTY IMAGES

Tory activists are plotting a rebellion amid rumours of a “stitch-up” that would see a post-election leadership contest cut party members out of the vote, The Telegraph has learned.

Grassroots Conservatives are understood to be furious about the possibility of Rishi Sunak staying on as the leader of the party following electoral defeat, and then changing the rules so that only MPs can elect a new leader without consulting the membership.

Earlier this week it emerged that two Cabinet ministers have expressed interest in diluting the voting power of members given criticism over how the grassroots selected Liz Truss in 2022.

It comes as the Popular Conservatives group, a movement founded by former prime minister Liz Truss and other prominent Tories on the Right of the party, has already begun planning for the party’s post-election future.

The organisation has sent out hundreds of invitations to activists for an event, titled “After July 4: What happens next?” which promises to include a “stellar” line-up of top Tory speakers.

It is likely to be seen as the first round of leadership hustings, with event organisers acknowledging that it is “not impossible” that it will end up that way.

Early events organised by the “Pop Cons” were attended by a number of key figures of the Tory right including former ministers Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, both of whom are believed to be preparing their leadership bids.

The event would give leadership hopefuls a platform to pitch their vision for the future of the party to hundreds of Tory members.

The 1922 committee of backbench MPs will play a critical role in drawing up the rules of a new leadership contest, along with the current party leader and party chairman. Sir Graham Brady, the outgoing 1922 committee chair, is standing down at this election meaning a new chair and committee will need to be elected.

“The current rumour is that Rishi is going to cling on to stitch up the selection,” a source on the Tory Right said. “Party rules can be changed separately to the 1922 [committee]. They decide how the contest is run in parliament, but whether or not it goes to the membership is in the constitution, which is effectively decided by the leadership.”

‘Grave mistake’

They went on to say that any attempt to block party members from playing a role in the selection process would be a “very, very grave mistake”.

They explained: “One of the reasons why the Tory party is in such a bad position is that they have lost the membership. Getting rid of Boris, who the membership wanted, put their back up. Then the membership chose Liz Truss.

“Then they got rid of her and appointed Rishi without going back to them which could not have wound them up more. If they took that a step further, it would be the nail in the coffin.”

A second source added: “We are trying to get our ducks in the row for the fightback. We don’t know if these are just rumours – but we are getting our ducks in a row and getting ready to scream blue murder if it happens.”

Another possibility is that Mr Sunak would resign straight away, and the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden would become caretaker party leader and oversee a selection process for a successor. But insiders have warned that such a move would “go down like a bag of sick” among members on the basis that Dowden is a close ally of Mr Sunak.

The rules of the last Tory leadership contest – which saw Mr Sunak crowned as leader – stated that the backing of 100 MPs was needed to make it on to the ballot paper.

Given that one of the Conservative party’s own projections suggests they would be reduced to a rump of just 57 seats, it is felt that the rules will inevitably need to be redrawn for a future selection process.

Claire Bullivant, chief executive of the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) which campaigns for the grassroots to have a greater say over how the party is run, said that party members “have so much power that people don’t realise”.

She explained that members can effectively “de-select” Tory MPs, adding: “There is a rule in the constitution which says that we can force a by-election if 10 per cent of an association’s membership or 50 people, whichever is less, submit letters of no confidence.

“And with a petition of 10,000 members, we can force national conventions and make changes to the constitution.”

Mr Sunak has declined to comment on whether he will stand down as leader immediately if his party is defeated by Labour at the election.

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