With no majority and disagreement rife about what went wrong for the Conservatives in the snap election, next month’s party conference presents Tories with the perfect opportunity to discuss new ideas and ponder the big challenges facing the party.
However, don’t expect members of government to partake in the soul-searching. Coffee House understands that everyone from ministers down to Parliamentary Private Secretaries have been encouraged to keep their heads down and ‘think carefully’ about their behaviour at the four-day event. ‘It’s been put in no uncertain terms, that in the time of a hung Parliament, the media will be looking for stories to fill the vacuum so think carefully about what you do,’ explains one member of government keeping a low profile.
With Theresa May hoping to use her leader’s speech in Manchester to re-assert her authority on a divided party, Tory high command are concerned that a few ill-thought remarks from ambitious ministers could mean the conference descends into a leadership parade.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in