Why the Tories lost – by the Tory leadership candidates

As the four candidates prepare to make their pitch at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, we quizzed them about their ideas and ambitions.

Why did the Tories lose the general election?

JAMES CLEVERLY: We lost the ear of the British public. They stopped listening to us. We over-promised and under–delivered on a load of issues so our election promises were met with real cynicism. People had literally closed their ears – and minds – to our arguments. Even if we had had the best policy platform in the world, people weren’t willing to give us the time of day. If we make fewer promises but make sure that we deliver on all of those promises, we will regain trust. But that means being disciplined.

ROBERT JENRICK: The government didn’t address properly, in a truly Conservative way, the big issues. We made promises and didn’t keep them. We lacked the courage to do the things that were necessary and which the public would expect of Conservatives, like reforming the NHS, or delivering proper supply-side reforms to get out of this cycle of low economic growth, poor productivity growth that we face as a country (and have done for years).