Sir Graham Brady: exclude party members from leadership elections

The View from Westminster

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 This month I launched a brand new newsletter, exclusive to subscribers of The Independent. It's called Commons Confidential and it's my insider's guide to the intrigue and gossip from inside Westminster. To receive Commons Confidential, along with unlimited access to Premium insight, ad-free reading, the daily edition newspaper, puzzles and more, subscribe today for just £20 for one year. Sir Graham Brady: exclude party members from leadership elections Conservative MPs alone should choose the party leader when in government, said Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers.   "In an ideal world, when the party is in government I think the parliamentary party should make the decision," Sir Graham said at the launch of Lord Norton's history of the 1922 Committee, which celebrates its centenary this year (having been founded, as every pub quizzer knows, in 1923).  He is right, and his argument applies to Labour and other parties too, as I argued at the time of last year's Tory leadership contest. Quiz question  In which decade was the British empire at its greatest territorial extent? Answer at the bottom of today's email Daily briefing Putin banking on Trump as Ukraine war remains deadlocked Hopes fade for Ukrainian breakthrough before winter UK wages outstrip inflation for first time in two years Chancellor Jeremy Hunt welcomes 'good news' Starmer could be forced to return money to private schools by VAT 'loophole'  Headteachers exploring ways to cut bills in blow to Labour plan Most commented Articles driving the biggest conversations Labour councillors quit in protest over Keir Starmer's Israel stance Should we negotiate with terrorists? What else do you need to know today? ● Peter Bone, the MP for Wellingborough, has lost the Conservative whip, taking the number of independent MPs up to 15, equal with Lib Dems, who thought they'd got ahead when Sarah Dyke won the Somerton & Frome by-election in July  ● As Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, announces emergency measures to cut the prison population, the Howard League for Penal Reform points out that the government's own research found that short sentences don't work anyway ● David Gauke, one of Chalk's many recent predecessors, says "prison doesn't work" Rentoul's reading list ● I wrote for Independent Premium today about the two by-elections on Thursday – in the course of which I noted that Labour's average lead in national opinion polls has crept up from 17 to 18 percentage points ● Paul Goodman of Conservative Home tried to classify MPs as pro-Israel, pro-Palestine and neutral, and asked if Starmer can hold the pro-Israel line in the Labour Party (yes, is the answer) ● Francis Maude, the Tory former Cabinet Office minister, says scrap the post of cabinet secretary and break up the Treasury (file under "Not going to happen") (pay wall) ● Finn McRedmond on Sinn Fein's false equivalence between Northern Ireland and Gaza (pay wall) Inside the bubble Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for tomorrow The inflation figure for September, issued by the Office for National Statistics at 7 am, will hand ministers a dilemma: whether to raise most working-age benefits by that amount next April, in line with usual practice, or to save some money. Prime Minister's Questions at noon will probably be dominated by the Middle East. The Commons sits from 11.30am for questions on Wales and will later debate the Energy Bill. Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, will hold talks in Washington. George Osborne, chair of trustees at the British Museum, will be quizzed by the culture select committee at 10 am. Jim Harra, first permanent secretary at HMRC, will be questioned by the Treasury select committee at 2.15 pm. Quotation of the day "We've worked very hard to promote your book. We spent last year raising the profile of the committee considerably." Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, at the launch of Lord Norton's history of the committee, which oversees Conservative leadership elections Quiz answer: 1920s – there is some disagreement about which year exactly; possibly 1923 The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Join the conversation or follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy notice and cookie policy