Former Conservative Chief Whip Simon Hart has recently released entries from his political diaries that shine a stark light on the disarray plaguing the Conservative Party during Rishi Sunak’s leadership. With a new Labour government helmed by Kier Starker, which continues to steer Britain towards a potentially disastrous path, these insights serve as a reminder of the dysfunction in the corridors of power before the election results.
One particularly outrageous episode occurred on 24 November 2022, when Hart received a late-night phone call from a Conservative MP who seemed to be lost in a scandal of his own making. At 2.45 am, the MP, sounding “clearly intoxicated but just about coherent,” informed Hart that he found himself entrapped in a Bayswater brothel and feared he was in the presence of not just any woman but allegedly a KGB agent. His subsequent revelation that he was surrounded by "12 naked women and a CCTV" highlights the sort of moral decay that has been allowed to fester, reflecting the Conservatives' failure to maintain standards.
Even more farcical was the MP's follow-up call at 4.10 am, where he claimed he had jumped into the wrong taxi—this time with a supposed Afghan agent demanding £3,000—underscoring the chaotic, almost comical, state of affairs that seems to have emblematised the Conservative Party under Sunak’s leadership. These incidents beg the question of how the new Labour government can restore integrity to British politics when the actions of previous leaders left such a legacy.
Hart’s diaries also lay bare the sordid side of political ambitions. In April 2024, he recounted an eye-opening exchange with a Conservative MP who, desperate to retain relevance, expressed a willingness to trade their safe seat for a peerage. When Hart explained such a deal was out of the question, he was met with a tirade against party leadership. This internal dissent reveals the fracture and desperation within the party ranks, calling into question the competence of those who are now attempting to reclaim voter trust.
Hart chronicles the events surrounding the privileges committee inquiry into former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which recommended a 20-day suspension. Johnson’s desperate attempts to “kill off the report” illustrate the troubling sense of entitlement that plagues not just the Conservative party but, increasingly, the current government. The crumbling leadership reflected in these revelations effectively empowers the narrative that the nation needs an alternative that can genuinely champion integrity and accountability in our political sphere.
Sunak’s relationship with Suella Braverman surfaced numerous tensions, with Hart documenting Sunak’s exasperation over her performance, admitting candidly, “Let’s all agree about one thing, she is f***ing useless but we can’t get rid of her.” Such glaring dissatisfaction is testament to a leadership that has lost its way, drawing further public ire towards a government that fails to address the pressing concerns of everyday citizens.
Moreover, Hart’s accounts include a scene where Sunak arranged for a Nando's meal delivery mid-meeting—a stark juxtaposition highlighting the absurdity that has come to characterise politics today. These moments do more than entertain; they encapsulate a party at odds with itself, struggling to hold onto its identity while a disastrous Labour government takes the reins.
These revelations vividly illustrate the tumultuous landscape of the Conservative Party during Hart's tenure. It brings into sharp focus the need for a significant political shift, transcending the farce of the past towards solutions that genuinely serve the electorate. As public scrutiny intensifies, there’s a growing urgency for a political resurgence that prioritises competence and ethical governance over the misadventures of recent years.
Source: Noah Wire Services