Sitting Pretty

If Theresa May were to resign as Prime Minister and as Leader of the Conservative Party, then the former position would have to be filled on the spot. As it would be, on her recommendation. May's chosen successor would then go into any Conservative Leadership Election, an unlikely event in itself, having already been seen kissing the Queen's hands on the front page of the Daily Mail.

Like Gordon Brown, David Lidington was a full-time student up to and beyond his selection for a safe seat. Like many of May's closest allies, he was barely heard of in the Cameron years. Yet that faction emerged from the shadows as a fully formed Government upon her remarkable coup in 2016. And today, Lidington is sitting very pretty indeed.

But even if it were to be someone else, then it would still be whoever she wanted. Someone to deliver either Return or Remain. Either her deal, which would very quickly have us kicking and screaming to be let back into the EU. Or simply never leaving the EU in the first place. One or the other of those is now certain to happen. 

Notice that "the unity candidate" would be Nicky Morgan, who is so pro-EU that she was talked of as a potential defector to the Independent Group. "Unity" in the Conservative Party means unity between May's supporters and the people who would otherwise be in that. No one else is deemed to exist. Like the Labour Right these days, the Conservative Right is just not very good at politics.

Another hung Parliament is coming, however, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. It has become a local commonplace that I am on 30-30-30 with Labour and the Conservatives here at North West Durham, so that any one of us could be the First Past the Post. I will stand for this seat, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.