With Tories branding their conference a ‘disaster’, Laura Kuenssberg swoops in to save Theresa May
Even Conservative MPs are branding their conference a “disaster”. But BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg seems to be trying to undo the damage:
That was one of best speech entrances ever from the person the public might least expect it from
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) October 3, 2018
The home secretary, the foreign secretary, and the Conservative chair all delivered keynote speeches to a conference hall barely half-full. And on 3 October, it was the prime minister’s turn.
While Conservative supporters filled the hall, May had very little to say on policy announcements. There was not even an attempt at approaching the fundamental challenges Britain is facing, such as elderly care, climate change or automation. Instead, May walked on stage boogying to the sound of Abba’s Dancing Queen. And the BBC‘s political editor thought it was brilliant:
Read on...
PM massive sense of humour alert – comes on to Dancing Queen, jigs about and starts with a gag about her cough and the collapsing backdrop – hall loves it
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) October 3, 2018
Although not everyone had the same reaction as Kuenssberg:
Theresa May dances to ABBA's "Dancing Queen" as she makes an entrance to the Tory conference like a drunk elderly aunty at a wedding.pic.twitter.com/6cWVq4p461
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) October 3, 2018
Dear Theresa….try that dance in front of the people of Grenfell, try it in front of the homeless, those with depression, the jobless, the asylum seekers..infact anyone who has suffered at the hands of Tory policy…see how that plays! #theresamay
— Robin Barbour (@rantinrobin) October 3, 2018
“Disaster”
Just before May’s flagship speech, Conservative MP James Duddridge submitted a letter of no-confidence in the prime minister. Criticising May on Brexit, Duddridge also described the conference as a “disaster”.
Conservative MP James Duddridge says the Conservative conference has been a "disaster", and says Theresa May's refusal to "rip up Chequers" and Boris Johnson's "inspirational" speech yesterday are the reasons he's submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May pic.twitter.com/l6eXFJyOZd
— Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) October 3, 2018
Duddridge is the fifth Conservative MP to declare his no-confidence letter publicly. But 30-40 MPs have reportedly submitted letters privately. In order for Conservative MPs to trigger a vote to bring down May’s leadership, 15% (or 48 of them) must have called for one.
Conservative MP Ben Bradley wasn’t happy either. Bradley lamented the lack of “real” policy announcements and said that he found that “frustrating”, continuing:
We have to be relatable and we have to be genuine that’s what Corbyn is, whether you agree with him or not. He is relatable and he believes what he says – we just repeat lines too often
And it’s not just an apparent lack of vision. At the beginning, a major security flaw in the conference app allowed anyone to access the private details of senior Conservative politicians.
“This is going pretty well”
Still, Kuenssberg has been busy painting the picture of a strong prime minister:
To many Theresa May has been the most calamitous prime minister going. But not Laura Kuenssberg #CPC18 pic.twitter.com/dzlolcR9iB
— James Wright (@wrightismight) October 3, 2018
And afterwards, Kuenssberg wasn’t done defending May:
Feels like hall breathing a big sigh of relief that after last year’s horror, so far, this is going pretty well
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) October 3, 2018
Blogger Tom Pride compared Kuenssberg’s reaction to May’s speech to her take on Jeremy Corbyn’s:
BBC political editor @BBClaurak on Theresa May conference speech:
"bold" "interesting", "going pretty well", "one of best speech entrances"BBC political editor @BBClaurak on Jeremy Corbyn conference speech:
"Corbyn speech starting – watch on BBC news" pic.twitter.com/ABEdva0aMV— Tom Pride (@ThomasPride) October 3, 2018
Without mainstream-media backing and millionaire supporters, it’s hard to see how the Conservatives would survive. Aside from the fringes, their conference has been barren of ideas. May’s speech didn’t even attempt to solve Brexit, let alone the existential crisis of climate change. From just about anywhere outside the BBC, it looks like May is dancing on the grave of her own party.
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