The downside of Mark Harper’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ approach

One of the major problems facing the less well-known Tory leadership contenders is this: how do you stand out to Conservative members and MPs when there are so many other candidates? With ten contenders still fighting to be prime minister, even Cabinet members seeking to boost their publicity have been forced to rely on gimmicks, whether it’s Rory Stewart wandering around Kew Gardens pretending to shoot hand-held videos, or Matt Hancock handing out free waffles and phone chargers at his campaign launch.

Former chief whip and immigration minister Mark Harper meanwhile decided to opt for honesty at the start of his campaign this morning. In an event entitled ‘Ask Me Anything’, Harper said he would open himself up to the floor, promising to ‘actually answer’ the questions which were put to him.

As the least familiar candidate – and when several of his colleagues have come under fire for their own shaky relationship with the truth – it was not the worst strategy.