politics explained

Does Rory Stewart’s resignation show there is no place for Tory moderates under Boris Johnson?

Losing centre-ground MPs will make it harder for Johnson to convince swing voters to back him at the next election, writes Benjamin Kentish

Friday 04 October 2019 23:45 BST
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Rory Stewart has announced he will stand down at the next election
Rory Stewart has announced he will stand down at the next election

Three months ago, Rory Stewart was an upwardly-mobile cabinet minister, a Tory leadership candidate and an outside bet to be the next Conservative prime minister. Now, he is not even a party member.

Stewart announced his resignation from the Tories on Friday morning and, minutes later, declared that he would be standing for mayor of London as an independent.

The rise and fall of one of the best known and most senior Tory moderates is a sign of the turbulent winds buffeting UK politics, but it also raises fundamental questions about the nature of the Conservative Party under Boris Johnson.

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