Some in the party think it’s time for a unifier, but others wonder whether he has the toughness and vision for the job
In the midst of their listless election campaign last summer, the Conservatives held a glitzy fundraising dinner at the Hurlingham Club in west London. Rishi Sunak was in York for a TV debate so, in his absence, the bash was hosted by James Cleverly, the home secretary at the time, and his wife, Susie.
The Cleverlys’ well-pitched speeches and popularity among Tory donors were widely remarked upon by those present. “It felt like the Cleverly show, even though Priti [Patel] and Kemi [Badenoch] were there,” a Tory insider recalled. “It showed how enmeshed they are in the whole family and how much goodwill there is for them.”
