Why the 1922 Committee vote matters

Looking at the candidates for the executive of the 1922 Committee, set to be contested in an election this afternoon, it is much easier to predict where they would stand on a rule change to allow a second no confidence vote – the issue at hand when nominations opened – than on the threshold question. For example, Boris loyalist Sheryll Murray, who would have opposed a rule change is going up against Will Wragg, who would have supported one.

The officers of the 1922 Committee will stay neutral in the contest I expect, no one running for an officer position has endorsed anybody. Among those standing for the executive are a slew of people backing Tom Tugendhat – but he could likely make it over a 36 nominations threshold as well as a 20 vote one. 

Perhaps, more significant is that Steve Baker – a big Suella Braverman backer – is also running for the executive. While it is likely that Braverman could get 36 nominations it is not certain, so I expect he would not favour a high threshold; Baker’s pro-competition views are also such that he would not be in favour of something that shut candidates out of the contest.