William Hague warned Tories that changing leadership rules could see Boris Johnson voted in — and damage the party long-term
He said that giving grassroots members more say would be like Labour’s 2015 change which led to Jeremy Corbyn’s election
WILLIAM Hague has warned the Conservatives not to change leadership rules because it would be easier for Boris Johnson to be elected and damage the party in the future.
The peer compared the idea with Labour’s rule change in 2015 which led to the election of party leader Jeremy Corbyn which Hague describes left democracy “fundamentally weaker.”
He also added that giving grassroots Tories more power in elections would result in the party being “swamped by new recruits.”
Grassroots Tories want the party’s ruling body to change the current rules and allow any MP with the support of 20 colleagues the ability to go through to the final ballad of party members.
Currently only two MPs can through - a rule Hague himself implemented.
Lord Hague believes a rule change would benefit Boris Johnson “who is currently thought to be more popular with the party members than with parliamentarians.”
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Membership to the Tory party costs £2.09 a month and people are eligible to vote after three months, Labour did not have this stipulation and members could join and vote for £3 a year in 2015 when Corbyn was elected.
Lord Hague said: ““I am not arguing against boldness and radicalism, but against decisions easily swayed by the fashions of the moment, determined by unrepresentative minorities or unconnected from a much wider electorate.”
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