ANDREW PIERCE CONFERENCE DIARY: Andy Street IS ready to walk if party veers to the Right

By ANDREW PIERCE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 23:52, 1 October 2024 | UPDATED: 10:45, 2 October 2024

When he opened the conference, Andy Street – narrowly defeated as the West ­Midlands elected mayor in May – had a warning for ­members ahead of the leadership contest.

'I hope we'll see a focus on moderate conservatism that delivers –not an obsession over ideology.'

Now it seems the word ideology is laden with threat. Street, 61, blames Rishi Sunakfor his defeat by 1,508 votes in a poll of two million voters. While Street, former managing director of John Lewis, is not declaring for any candidate, I can disclose he is so appalled by the prospect of Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch, the front runners on the Right of the party, he is contemplating a drastic option.

He may quit the Tory party which he joined more than 40 years ago. Street has told friends: 'I am trying my best to stop my party making a terrible mistake in veering to the Right, which it would under Jenrick or Badenoch.'

A Street supporter told me: 'It would be a terrible blow for us as a party – he is one of our best communicators.'

Since losing his mayorality in May, Street hasn't pulled his punches about Sunak's incompetence. 

As a result, notoriously thin-skinned Sunak has decided not to give Street a peerage in his resignation honours list due in November.

'Street would be an adornment to the Lords but Sunak is still smarting over the criticism,' said a well-placed source.

One of many problems the new Tory leader will have to address is a serious shortage of party cash. Donations have dried up since the election defeat. 

At Tory HQ, around two-thirds of staff have been made redundant and dozens of campaign workers axed.

But spotted at the Tory treasurers' reception on Monday night was Lord Spencer, a billionaire businessman who has given millions of pounds to the party. 

The word is he will get out his cheque book when the new leader is elected. Whoever it is.

A menacing – and cheeky – tweet from Lord Ashcroft, former deputy Tory treasurer and best-selling political biographer. In a message to Sir Keir Starmer, he said: 'As you know I'm updating your biography Red Knight to be released next spring.

'It will address Labour's manifesto and promises after six months in office. I am struggling to keep up with all the revelations and would ask you to pause for a few weeks to let me catch up.'

I'm told the tweet has caused alarm bells to ring in the Labour Party HQ. 

Jenrick one-upwomanship

Robert Jenrick has put rival Kemi Badenoch's nose out of joint. When Rishi Sunak left the conference on Sunday after less than 24 hours, his large suite was given to Jenrick – to Badenoch's fury. 

The contenders were in hotel rooms next to one another before Jenrick pulled rank to get the grandest room in the conference hotel.

Former Tory leader William Hague mocked Sir Keir Starmer's acceptance of £32,000-worth of designer clothes and glasses from Lord Alli. 

'I can't imagine spending £2,500 on eyewear,' he said. 'I have reading specs that cost £19.99.'

Frees-mogg? Heavens NO

While the row over Downing Street freebies rumbles on, no one can criticise Jacob Rees-Mogg for having his nose in the trough.

The former Cabinet minister, who lost his seat, said: 'I was offered free tickets for the opera at Glyndebourne, Wimbledon, and football matches. I turned them all down and bought my own tickets.

'You may think it odd, but I am a Puritan about this matter. ­Freebies are a minor corruption of public life.'