The Conservative Party has introduced a controversial “yellow card” penalty system to prevent personal attacks in its upcoming leadership race, aiming to ensure a clean and respectful competition among candidates. Here’s the full story.
Yellow Card Penalty System
In a sign of just how unmanageable the much reduced Conservative Party has become, the newly relegated official opposition has introduced a “yellow card” penalty system for its leadership race in the hopes that it will curtail the verbal attacks and backstabbing that has been a hallmark of the campaign so far.
Preventing Mudslinging
Announcing the scheme, Bob Blackman, chair of the influential Conservative Party 1922 Committee, which will preside over the leadership race, indicated that the yellow card policy was necessary to prevent mudslinging between leadership contenders.
Determined for Clean Contest
Blackman stated, “We’re determined that this is going to be a good clean contest between the candidates that have been nominated. The constant backbiting and attacking colleagues both in public and in the media in the last Parliament was one of the contributories why the party did so badly in the last General Election. We’re determined that we’ll not tolerate that happening.”
Candidates to Replace Sunak
Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel, Mel Stride, and Tom Tugendhat are the six candidates vying to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader.
Braverman Not Running
Notably absent from the race is disgraced former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who, despite her assertion that she had the necessary backing from 10 of her fellow MPs, a fact that numerous Conservative leaks have debated, cited the deepening ideological divides within the party as her main reason not to stand.
No Point in Running
Writing in the Telegraph to announce her decision not to run, Braverman stated, “There is, for good or for ill, no point in someone like me running to lead the Tory Party when most of the MPs disagree with my diagnosis and prescription … Instead, platitudes about ‘unity’ are fashionable.”
Early Attacks
Before the contest had even begun, Blackman had cause for concern, with Braverman and Badenoch seemingly at each other’s throats from the jump. Following a poorly received speech by Braverman, in which she compared the flying of the LGBTQ+ flag to the “mutilation of children”, Badenoch accused her of having a “very public” mental breakdown in remarks that were later leaked to the media.
Accusations of Dirty Tricks
Similarly, Badenoch’s leadership bid began with some Blue on Blue attacks as, even before her candidacy was officially announced, she accused but did not name others in the Conservative leadership race of using “dirty tricks” to derail her candidacy.
New Rules to Control Tempers
Because of attacks like these, Blackman has no doubt sought to introduce a new system to control the hot tempers of some in the leadership race. Under the new rules, candidates who engage in personal attacks will receive a yellow card accompanied by a public reprimand. Blackman stated, “If candidates indulge in it I’ll get involved and if necessary issue a public statement.”
Yellow Card Suffices
However, despite repeated questions, Blackman refused to discuss the possible existence of a “red card,” and what that could mean for a candidate who received one, explaining that just the yellow card would be “extremely detrimental on that candidate’s chances.”
Should Be Enough
Ominously, he added, “That should be enough.”
Extending Discipline to All
In yet another sign of how unruly the Conservative Party has become, it is not only leadership contenders who will be part of the “yellow card” system but all MPs and party members. The party’s chief whip will address any misconduct among MPs, while the chairman will handle issues involving ex-MPs.
Leadership Election Process
The process of electing the new Conservative leader involves several stages. Initially, Tory MPs will narrow the field of candidates to four by the party’s annual conference in Birmingham at the end of September.
Final Voting
Following this, further ballots will reduce the number of contenders to two, who will then be subject to a vote by party members. The final online vote will conclude on October 31, and the new leader, who will replace the interim leader, Rishi Sunak, will be announced on November 2.
Sign of Decline
The need for a “yellow card” system to prevent the out-in-the-open fighting and factionalism that has defined the Conservative Party over the last few years is a sign of just how far the once-proclaimed “natural party of government” has fallen.
Let the Games Begin!
With the few remaining Conservative MPs increasingly pulling in different ideological directions, the party haemorrhaging voters to Reform UK and struggling to maintain unity following the worst electoral result in its history, it remains to be seen if the simple threat of a public admonishment will be enough to prevent infighting among the six candidates who all share wildly different views on the party’s future. Let the games begin!
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