Tory chaos – Michael Gove on how Cleverly got knocked out of the leadership race

The Conservative party leadership contest is down to two candidates – and in a last minute upset, yesterday’s frontrunner James Cleverly didn’t make the final cut. It’s fair to say at least some amount of skullduggery has happened in the last 24 hours, where the duplicitousness of Conservative MPs has been on display again. Now Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick go to the members for the final stage. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and The Spectator’s new editor, Michael Gove, about what on earth happened – and what this means for Labour now.

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[gatcollie]

I’m not sure I disagree with a lot of what Michael said. But it’s jarring in the extreme for someone who was a senior minister six months ago to be calling his former colleagues the ‘banter party’. Mate, that’s you

[tomclancy]

It’s soo interesting how they tiptoe around Goves and Kemis relationship 😂😂

[cedarstuff]

Gove just expecting us to forget everything he got up to in the "Conservative" Party?

[spindrifter]

Cleverly thinks that he's smarter than he is. He had it in the bag and tried to be too clever by trying to manipulate who his opponent would be in the final and messed it up. It didn't work. It hardly matters because all 3 are crap

[paulhignett]

This guy is a total creep, a permanent fixture of a total disaster for 14 years.

[RobinRichardson-pk]

It shows how low Tory fortunes have sunk: Michael Gove goes from Tory persona non grata to Tory elder statesman in the course of three months - without his public approval rating changing.

[stephfoxwell]

The Spectator must be literally mad to employ this charlatan.
A grotesque.

[JonMorter]

It's 2001 all over again. Edge out the more palatable Portillo then choose the disastrous Iain Duncan Smith

[paulharrisharris]

It doesn’t matter which one of the three gets to be leader of the Tory party. None of them will ever be Prime Minister.

[andrewhotston]

The utter hopelessness of the Tory Party is the reason Starmer is sitting on a massive majority whilst only getting twenty something percent of tbe votes. The jovial smugness of Gove is unforgivable. Contrition is required in very large quantities.

[tkcannon]

Labour would almost surely have it that Cleverly won. He's the easiest to associate with past Tory governments, and hence with any failings.

[lucitonstjames]

Michael Gove. Where does one start with this man?

[dovetonsturdee]

I suspect that, were there only four Tory MPs left in Parliament, they would immediately split into two factions, and squabble with each other.

[BionicRasta]

Tories always sticking knifes into each other's backs. A duplitious tribe that's their biggest issue

[simonsargent]

I voted Conservative all my life, would never trust them again """

[brownjames]

I think Christmas has come early for Michael Gove, he’s got the big job at the Spectator and his protege Kemi Badenoch may now be the next Tory leader

[dimsylsodium]

This means that Tory party members now have the unenviable task of choosing between Rudderless (Badenoch) and Clueless (Jenrick). I suppose this is what politicians refer to as a "difficult decision".

[BrianWillcox-qphr]

Looks like Gove's still on the sniff.

[swarming]

I’m a Labour guy, and a subscriber to the Spectator, but Gove was probably the *only* Tory Minister from 2010-2024 who was effective, thoughtful, and genuinely did deliver positive reform to public services, especially schools. I’m willing to hear him out. He’s a smart guy.

I'm sorry - I just can't stand Gove. He's a snake.