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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Ninian Wilson

Fresh leadership crisis for Boris Johnson as Welsh Tories plan to split

Boris Johnson is facing a fresh threat to his position as leader of the Tories

BORIS Johnson faces a fresh leadership crisis as a group of Welsh Tories consider splitting from the English party, according to reports.

The Telegraph has reported that senior members of the Welsh party had a meeting this week where they decided to take steps to separate from the English Tories, with a source citing partygate as the “last straw”.

The discussions have caused a stir among English Tory MPs as their party has become increasingly unstable after a slew of scandals and controversies.

One MP said that the potential split could herald the “balkanisation” of the Conservative party, with Scottish Tories also voicing discontent with the status quo.

The plans to separate have partly been a response to the Welsh Tories disastrous results in the May local council elections, with ambitions to put their split in motion over the summer and be ready for a rebranding for the October Tory party conference.

A source said: “There are cliques forming in the Senedd. The Welsh Conservatives are looking to move into a more Welsh-focused direction, with the creation of a number of policies in the pipeline that will appeal more uniquely to the Welsh electorate, whilst maintaining a strong Unionist position.

“There will be clear blue water between both sides. We will rebrand the Welsh Conservatives and run different policies to the ones Westminster produces.

"Welsh Conservatives want Welsh-focused answers to Welsh issues that arise in the devolved competencies.”

A key cause of the Welsh disillusionment is that Johnson, who took on the role of Minister for the Union when he became PM, has neglected to meet with the Welsh party since their poor performance in the council elections. The Welsh Tories lost 45% of their councilors and control over Monmouthshire, their only local council in Wales .

A source said: “The mood is very much of abandonment by Boris. Senedd members were not even invited to Number 10 after the election.”

If the scheme to rebrand is to go ahead, the Welsh Conservatives will have to unanimously agree on the proposal.

However, opposition to the plan has been made by James Evans, a Senedd member and policy director of the Welsh Conservative group. He is regarded as one of the staunchest supporters of the union among the Welsh Tories.

A source said he wants to “stay on the Right, whilst creating new policies that appeal to a unique Welsh electorate"

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, declined to comment on the scheme.

He said: “We’re proud to work with our colleagues in Westminster in delivering solutions to the cost of living crisis and assisting Ukraine.

"Over the coming years, we will continue to make the case for a Welsh Conservative government with conservative values that reflect the values of the people of Wales and create a strong Wales in a strong UK.”

If successful, the plan would be a further humiliation for Boris Johnson in the wake of the partygate scandal and his narrow escape in the no-confidence vote.

An English Tory MP said that the separation could further the leadership crisis amongst the Conservatives.

The MP said: "I don't think any Conservative MP will stand by and see the Balkanisation of the Tory party."

Reports of the Welsh split follow a number of Scottish Tories voicing their frustrations with the current state of the Conservative party.

Four of the six Scottish Tory MPs publicly confirmed that they voted against Johnson in the no-confidence vote, while Andre Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, published a critical blog post on the ConservativeHome website.

He wrote: "We see evident now in the Conservative Party, my party, a strange mix of complacency, entitlement, fear and exhaustion.

"Where’s the spirit of 2005? Where’s the big idea? What’s the challenge to us? What’s the offer to the country?"

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