Boris Johnson allies set out plans to overhaul Tory party rules after ‘small cabal of MPs’ ousted ex-PM – but they deny it’s a plot to reinstall him in No10
- Boris Johnson’s allies outline plans to overhaul Conservative Party’s rulebook
- Conservative Democratic Organisation seeks to give members greater influence
- But the grassroots camaign is not a front to return Mr Johnson to No10, they say
Boris Johnson’s allies have outlined their plans to overhaul the Conservative Party’s rules following the ousting of the former prime minister last year.
Lord Cruddas, one of the Tories’ biggest donors, and David Campbell Bannerman, a former MEP, are fronting a new grassroots campaign known as the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO).
They want a series of reforms to allow party members to ‘take back control’ by increasing their influence over matters such as policy and the selection of parliamentary candidates.
After two leadership elections in four months last year, following the toppling of both Mr Johnson and Liz Truss, the CDO also want to reinforce members’ say over who is the Tory leader.
It has even been claimed that some within the CDO are plotting to force a confidence vote in new PM Rishi Sunak, such as a ‘confirmatory’ ballot on whether he should be Tory leader.
Boris Johnson’s allies have outlined their plans to overhaul the Conservative Party’s rules following the ousting of the former prime minister last year
Lord Cruddas (left), one of the Tories’ biggest donors, and David Campbell Bannerman, a former MEP, are fronting a new grassroots campaign known as the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO)
Lord Cruddas, who previously led a campaign to allow Conservative members a vote on whether Mr Johnson should have been removed from No10, has been a frequent critic of Mr Sunak.
He told the Sunday Times: ‘A sitting PM was constructively dismissed by a small cabal of MPs without any input from members.
‘Then members were presented with a choice of two candidates through secret ballots by the same MPs that forced Boris out.
‘Members voted for Truss and the same cabal of MPs forced her out and imposed the person that members rejected.’
But Mr Campbell Bannerman denied the CDO is a front to return Mr Johnson to Downing Street.
‘This is far bigger than just about one person or one policy,’ he told the newspaper.
‘It is about a democratic revolution to put the members back in charge.’
But Mr Campbell Bannerman, the CDO chair, added: ‘The imposition of Sunak without a members’ vote was the last straw.’
The CDO is being backed by another Johnson loyalist, former home secretary Priti Patel.
Meanwhile, one of Mr Johnson’s other ex-Cabinet ministers has warned the Tories will ‘die’ without bringing back Mr Johnson as leader.
In an article for the Mail on Sunday, former culture secretary Nadine Dorries wrote: ‘It should be no surprise to anyone that the thing the Labour Party fears most is the return of Boris Johnson.
‘Enough of their MPs let that slip at the time he was being removed as PM and were unable to contain their delight.’
She claimed that Mr Sunak would lead the Tories into the ‘long, cold and brutal wasteland of thankless opposition’, adding: ‘For the Conservatives, it’s bring back Boris or die because the first task of any Labour government would be to ensure that there’ll never be a majority Conservative government ever again.’
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