Next month’s elections to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers have taken on particular importance in the current circumstances. The fact that a couple of the officer positions are held by Cameron’s harshest critics, and that some MPs broadly supportive of the leadership have decided to take on the ‘wreckers’, means that the results will be seen as a sign of where backbench opinion in the party really is.
As I write in the Mail On Sunday today, three of the 2010 intake — Charlie Elphicke, George Hollingbery and Priti Patel — have decided to endorse a joint candidate for secretary of the committee. This candidate will stand seeking a mandate to shift the focus of the committee more onto campaigning and policy-work.
These three MPs come from very different parts of the party. They are all, though, fairly supportive of the leadership. (It should, however, be noted that both Patel and Hollingbery rebelled on the EU referendum vote).
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