The Tories face trouble in London
Reform ran a good campaign here, with their candidate Alan Cook, well-versed on the issues and the party's messaging. But the party believe that something more fundamental is going on than simply the electorate's disdain for the Tories. Reform's proven ability to win wards, and not merely serve as a protest vote, is encouraging switchers who might have stayed with the Conservatives when they were seen as the most viable option. 'Vote Reform, get Reform' is the message now.
That bodes well for Reform in next year's London council elections. Farage's team is targeting the so-called 'doughnut' of outer boroughs on the capital's fringe. These have traditionally been areas of strong Conservative support and were the basis for Boris Johnson's mayoral victories in 2008 and 2012. Kemi Badenoch's party currently control five boroughs here – Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Harrow and Hillingdon – compared to just one – Kensington and Chelsea – in inner London.
Farage-led parties have always struggled to do well in London. But within Milbank Tower, staff are currently working out which subjects play well in the 'doughnut'. Just as how Johnson ran against the expansion of the congestion charge in 2008, they are looking for a single issues which they can on next May. The ongoing six-week campaign on crime plays nicely into that. As I wrote about on Tuesday, Farage is going after the 'Mums' vote' of middle-aged women concerned about community safety and their family's life chances.
For the Tories, this could well spell trouble. Around of the party's 120,000 members are believed to be based in the capital. But the campaign infrastructure looks to be rusting around them. Less than a decade ago, CCHQ boasted a campaign manager in all 32 London boroughs; now this number has fallen by around 75 per cent. For the past decade, the national party has embraced a strategy which lent into the post-Brexit 'realignment.' This paid dividends in 2019, when the Conservatives could afford to lose Richmond and Putney as they were winning Wakefield and Workington. But now the red wall has gone – and there are few signs that wealthy metropolitans are flocking back now either.
Next May, the main focus of election night will be Scotland and Wales. But the story in London could make for grim reading for the Conservatives too.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Doctors strikes will be banned under the Tories like police and prison officers, vows Kemi Badenoch
Doctors strikes will be banned under a Conservative government in the same way as police and prison officers, Kemi Badenoch has vowed. The Tory party leader today announced she would amend the law to bar the protests as she insisted the British Medical Association (BMA) is 'out of control'. It comes following 11 strikes in the past 18 months which Ms Badenoch said had resulted in patients dying. Her comments were made on GB News amid the ongoing five-day series of strikes by resident doctors in support of a pay claim. Urging Sir Keir Starmer to take similar action, Ms Badenoch said: 'The BMA has become militant, these strikes are going too far, and it is time for action. 'Doctors do incredibly important work. Medicine is a vocation – not just a job. That is why in government we offered a fair deal that supported doctors, but protected taxpayers too. 'These strikes will have a significant economic effect, but they will also mean cancelled operations, worry for families of the sick, and suffering for those who are unwell. We know that previous strike action by doctors even led to some patients losing their lives. 'That is why Conservatives are stepping in, and setting out common sense proposals to protect patients, and the public finances. And we are making an offer in the national interest – we will work with the Government to face down the BMA to help protect patients and the NHS.' Doctors hold lives in their hands. No one should lose critical healthcare because of strikes but that's what's happening now. That's why a Conservative government led by me would ban doctors' strikes, just like we do the army and police. — Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 27, 2025 Police, the military and prison officers are banned from taking strike action under the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act. The Conservatives would amend this to include doctors. Action short of a strike such as working to rule and banning overtime would still be permitted - with doctors remaining able to unionise through the BMA, like the police, which has the police federation to represent members' interests. Minimum service levels have also been proposed by the Conservatives, which would aim to ensure a basic service provision in not just healthcare but other essential sectors like education and transport. The party has argued proposed changes would bring the UK in line with other nations such as Australia and Canada who have tighter restrictions on doctors strikes, as well as European nations like Greece, Italy and Portugal that have minimum service levels laws in place across their health services. Under Australia's Fair Work Act 2009, the Fair Work Commission is required to suspend or terminate strike action that endangers the safety, health or welfare of the population. Attempts to block doctors' strike action are likely to be challenged in the courts, specifically under Article 11 of the European Convention of Human Rights. Police officers have been banned from taking strike action since 1919 when the Police Act made it a criminal offence and all armed forces members are bound by the King's Regulations which make unionisation illegal. The Conservatives' proposed primary legislation would restrict the ability of for doctors at all levels to engage in strike action as regulated by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. This would be done through exempting doctors from the part of the act that gives the right to strike. The Conservatives said they will also look at introducing back-to-work orders in a similar vein to other European countries. Stuart Andrew MP, Shadow Health Secretary, said: 'The Conservative Party has always respected the important work that healthcare professionals do, but enough is enough. 'The BMA has taken our NHS hostage and used this Labour Government's weakness to demand more and more – with taxpayers and patients left to suffer the consequences. 'As our health service faces yet another round of damaging strike action, the Conservatives are calling time. If Labour were serious about cutting waiting lists and delivering the health system our country deserves, rather than just kowtowing to the unions, they would back our plans.'
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Bus firm owned by former Rangers directors doubles profits
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Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Conservatives vow to ban doctor strikes - as Kemi Badenoch hits out at 'militant' union
The Conservatives would ban strikes for doctors, Kemi Badenoch has said. The Tory leader said she would treat doctors the same as the army and police in order to bring the walkouts to an end. Under UK law, police officers, members of the armed forces and some prison officers are banned from striking. Resident doctors - previously known as junior doctors - began their five-day strike across England on Friday as part of an escalating row between NHS bosses and the British Medical Association (BMA) over pay. Last July, they were awarded a raise of 22% over two years, the highest public sector award in recent years. But the BMA has argued that pay has declined significantly since 2008 when adjusting for inflation and is calling for a pay rise of 29.2% to reverse "pay erosion". The latest deal saw doctors given a 4% increase, plus £750 "on a consolidated basis" - which comes to an average rise of 5.4%. Speaking to reporters, MS Badenoch said it was now Tory policy to ban strikes for resident doctors, arguing the BMA had become "too militant". "We have seen 11 strikes in the last sort of 18 months, two years," she said. "People are dying and it's costing the NHS billions. We need to bring these strikes to an end." She said she would also introduce minimum service levels for strikes - something that was brought in under Liz Truss's short tenure as prime minister before being repealed by the current government. The Conservatives argue their proposals would bring the UK in line with other nations across the world, including Australia and Canada, where restrictions on doctors striking are tighter. Meanwhile, Greece, Italy and Portugal have laws ensuring minimum service levels are in place across their health services. Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Dr Tom Dolphin, the chair of the BMA, said doctors "don't want to be on strike" but felt they had no choice. "The reason that we are worried about the NHS and we're worried about the workforce in the NHS, is because doctors are being undervalued," he said. "They're leaving the NHS in large numbers, and what we're trying to do is make sure that the offer that's there from the NHS, the pay, the total reward package, is enough to recruit and retain the best doctors that the patients deserve in the NHS."
