To-ing and from-ing

I don't think there's much point running a detailed 'Who's backing whom?' list given the volatility and lie-factors but please use this thread to record news about who going to where, and from where.

Stewart Jackson has defected from David Davis' camp to David Cameron on a day when eleven more MPs have backed David Cameron publicly (so far).  Prominent backers of Liam Fox have gone public - John Redwood, John Whittingdale and Laurence Robertson - but at the time of posting no public defections to Fox.  In addition Nigel Waterson has joined Team Fox from the Clarke list.  The Fox camp appear confident of some gains, however, in their private conversations with me.

I'm told that there will be a big announcement for the 6pm BBC1 News...   

Comments

[anon]

Ed - cant you call the DD office and find out what is going on.

Is it imploding as rumours say? Are people walking out? Is S Gilbert there today to run it? Are Mitchell and Dale slugging it out? Etc.

Or is this black propaganda?

Isn't that the point of the blog - or are you more concerned with staying friends with the magic circle?

Reasonable if your are - but the readers should be told...

[NickB]

How about Hague endorsing Fox? That would finish off DD and make the membership vote a lot more interesting ...

[Kris]

Now this contest is drawing to its close, i would like to thank the Editor for making sense of the madness, and providing an indepth and fascinating insight into the world of politics. Thank you so much.

[Nicholas S]

Will Cameron's team go for every vote in the hope they can hit 100, or lend votes to Davis to keep Fox off the ballot?

[Samuel Coates]

It's not over yet, but I agree it has been absolutely fascinating (like a soap opera for political animals!), and the insights and analysis from this site have helped it be so.

[Dan]

Yes thankyou Editor, this site has kept me going throughout this race, it is I think the best one around by far in terms of info and reason.

Let us hope there is a membership ballot for you to keep track of...

[James Maskell]

People are saying that a leader could be in charge by Friday but I really struggle to think that will happen. Davis quitting the contest? I would lose respect for him for doing that. How cowardly that would be? I dont think he wants to step aside for the second time now.

I agree with Kris. This is the first leadership contest Ive properly followed (Wasnt in the country for the last one) and we are all grateful for the information analysis and the opportunity for us all to debate the future of the Conservative Party.

[Wat Tyler]

So...what was that big announcement exactly? The fact that someone has spun OUCA chairman Nick Robinson to tell us CCO are now on standby for an immediate DC takeover? Although not apparently involving paid CCO staff...

Ed...we know we can rely on you to stay very calm and not to relay tittle-tattle.

[James Maskell]

Nothing has been reported on ITV as a big announcement. It must be the possibility of DC being leader by Friday. I dont understand the thinking behind pulling out except for doing deals behind the scenes to get a nice position. Perhaps if DD pulls out for DC to win, he gets a tasty position, Foreign Secretary? Chancellor will be held by Osbourne I would imagine.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

From the horses mouth - Well the DD blog anyway:-

"David Davis is fighting for every vote. He is confident of going through to the next round and intends to take the contest to the party membership and win."

[James Maskell]

Not mincing his words there!

[Richard Allen]

I don't believe that Davis will pull out although if he does I would lose all respect for him. If our magnificent MP's go for some kind of stich up that denies the membership a vote I would have to think very hard about whether I could remain a party member.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

I have a lot of respect for that attitude. Good for Davis!

[Richard Allen]

It would be completely out of character for Davis to pull out even if the odds were stacked against him. He is a fighter and he is ambitious, as long as he is in the contest he will be trying his hardest to win.

[Richard Allen]

It would be completely out of character for Davis to pull out even if the odds were stacked against him. He is a fighter and he is ambitious, as long as he is in the contest he will be giving it his all.

[Michael McGowan]

Really though, one of him or Fox has to stand down if they are to block Cameron. If Cameron hoovers up the Clarke votes and then is beaten (unlikely) in the country in a run-off against a candidate who has come a poor second among the MPs, you can bet your bottom dollar that those nice "modernisers" will start undermining the new leader as soon as he is elected. To stand a real chance, the right needs a unity candidate ....and quickly.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

Ann Widdecombe, former Clarke supporter, has declared for Foxy.

[Andy Stidwill]

Although having a coronation may be the most sensible thing to do on its own merits, it will once again make the Conservative party look a bit ridiculous.

The public will remember this fact: out of 3 possible members ballots, 2 will have been cancelled and the other one produced Iain Duncan Smith.

[Gordon]

Why all this paranoia about Nick Robinson? Yes, he's a former Tory wet but he didn't write DD's awful speech - he just reported it. DD has only himself to blame for the state his campaign is in. He's a substantial figure with many virtues but the last fortnight has confirmed so many of the doubts that we've had about him.

[Nelson, Norfolk]

Our Party and the Candidates would loose respect if there was a stich up. It must not be allowed to happen.

Editor start a compaign now. It could be called SAY NO TO A STICH UP.

Nick Robinson is a very good at his job. He is after all only reporting the events.

I am pleased that someone else has thanked the Editor for maintaining this excellent site. Well done again.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

Reporting rumours isnt the same as reporting events. Though it does make for interesting viewing.

[kris]

Out of interest, which jobs do you think Cameron should give to whom (should he win)? Personally i think Theresa May should be party Chairman, with Liam Fox becoming Deputy and Defence secretary (replacing Michael Ancram). George Osborne as Chancellor with Ken Clarke as Treasury minister (if he should deign to serve his party on the front bench). William Hague as Home secretary and Sir Malcolm Rifkind as Foreign Secretary. What do you think?

[Richard Allen]

At the party confrence Nick Robinson didn't simply report events. Along with others in the media he played a part in creating a story that met with his own approval. That might be okay from a newspaper hack but for the Political Editor of the BBC to do so is a disgrace.

I will never forget how, on the day that IDS became party leader, Robinson called him unelectable. He showed his bias then and it has never gone away.

[cheltboy]

Ihave worked with NR for some time and his analysis has over the years proved very accurate. His verdict on DD at the conference was quite correct and was shared by many others in the bbc. I would rejectany ssuggestion of bias on his part re DD. He is straight down the line with all political parties when he's on the job. Anyone who thinksotherwise is delued and a conspiracy theorist.
I have never posted here beore but feel I should defend someone who is on the ball.

[Derek]

Reading this evening's tributes to our magnificent editor, to which I heartily concur, I sense that a few are expecting the contest to draw to an abrupt halt, with the young pretender gaining the throne without a fight. Even if he was to gain 100 votes, that would mean that almost half the parliamentary party did not vote for him. True, it's possible that the second place candidate might only score half that, but a lot could happen in the six weeks of the final campaign. The public and the members admire a fighter - not a quitter! [as someone once said]