It was with great pleasure that the Devon area team welcomed the six candidates for leadership of the Conservative party, for in-person hustings held in Exeter, at the end of August. One of them will be our new leader by November.
Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, and James Cleverly visited us on Sunday the 25th to a packed house, despite many being away because of bank holiday weekend.
Then Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat stated their case on Tuesday the 27th, with even greater attendance, and faced the same questions and answers, once more introduced by our hard-working PCC Alison Hernandez, and eloquently questioned by national vice president Julian Ellacott.
Thanks to everyone who attended.
Then soon after, the first elimination occurred, and the remaining five candidates faced an online grilling on zoom for the south-west region, minus Priti Patel who had bowed out. Thanks very much to Dan Bell Chair of Manchester Conservatives, and Julian once more, for arranging the tech, and the brilliant James Wright for facilitating the Zoom webinar for us. Hundreds of pounds were raised, with a donation to each area in the South West.
Thanks also to Debbie Flint, Sam Penfold, Pru Maskell, Evan Williams and Lee Watts and the whole team behind-the-scenes for their hard work in putting together these events, as well as Nick Tester, DCM&F SW. And Ruth Smith for help with the Exeter venue.
MP for Central Devon, our very own Mel Stride, left the contest Next.
The final four will be speaking at conference in Birmingham early October. We hope to get a date for the final 2 to once again visit Devon during October. Watch this space.
For more information please contact fundraising @Devon area conservatives.org.uk
