Reflections on the leadership hustings

Yesterday, despite considerable difficulties with the train journeys to London and back (caused by a trespasser on the railway) I listened to all six candidates for the Conservative leadership speak and answer questions about why they should be leader at a meeting of the National Conservative Convention (which consists mostly of the chairmen of all the local constituency Conservative parties plus Regional and Area chairmen and deputy chairmen,)

Today I watched five of the six candidates appear on a Channel Four debate.

I thought all six candidates performed well yesterday and all five who took part did well today.

It was a great pity that it was not possible to broadcast the speeches and Q&A session with all six candidates yesterday: this would have been of value to candidates and voters - including those who are not members of the Conservative party and participants in this election but will have a vote on whoever wins when the next general election comes.

The presenter from Channel four was a bit silly at times.

For example, when the presenter made the ridiculous suggestion that Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who holds one of the four great offices of state was not important enough to have been invited to meet Donald Trump it was very noticeable that the other four candidates instantly reacted with outrage at this slur on a rival candidate - indeed, if anything the other candidates rejected the idea more strongly than the Saj himself did.

Nevertheless I thought the programme was valuable and informative and it would have been even better if all six candidates had taken part.

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