Andrew Lilico

What the Tories should look for in their next leader

The Conservatives are selecting a new leader, who will become Prime Minister. What sort of a person should that be? It needs to be someone with the spark or edge of a leader, able to carry others with them – not just a clubbable ‘Yes Man’ type. It needs to be someone able to press a vision and policy agenda across a range of issues, not just something narrow like finance, defence, international relations or legal issues.

It needs to be someone able to convey an optimistic message, but have a serious mode that can be turned on when necessary. Someone who is willing to be unpopular, taking tough decisions when necessary with the confidence that vindication will come later, who trusts that the truth is the Conservative’s greatest political friend.

The above personality traits are necessary, but personality should not be the defining matter at this election. The party is in government, and governments (unlike oppositions) ultimately succeed or fail on policy not personality.

When it comes to policy, the first requirement is to have some answer to the great issue of the day: inflation.

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