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Telegraph columnists aims broadside at ‘sinking ship’ Welsh Tories

08 Aug 2022 3 minute read
Andrew RT Davies in the Senedd

Daily Telegraph columnists Kara Kennedy has described the Welsh Conservatives as a “sinking ship” and claims toxic divisions have developed within the party since Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister.

She also attacked some Tory MS’s for taking a more centrist approach to policy and claimed the party in Wales needs an “injection of “energy.

Before the Tory leadership candidates’ hustings in Cardiff last week, Rishi Sunak praised the Welsh branch of the party for “doing a fantastic job to hold Labour to account”.

However, Ms Kennedy wrote: “In reality, Andrew RT Davies, the current leader of the Welsh Conservatives, has been steering a sinking ship for quite some time.

“Such is the dire state of affairs that some have assumed he is holding on for his chance of a knighthood.”

Toxic

Describing splits within the party, she noted: “The infighting in the party has become more and more toxic since Boris’ downfall, as half of the party have decided that the only way to win seats is to kowtow to the overwhelmingly Left-wing majority in Wales, taking a more centrist approach to policy.

“The true blues in the party have rightly dug their heels in, hoping for a genuine Conservative force to return to Wales once more.

She concluded: “An injection of energy would be welcomed by these Welsh Tories. And it had better come quickly.

“Devolution is a breeding ground for nationalism and socialist policies.

“If either Sunak or Truss wants what is best for the Union, and to embody Thatcher, they will have to take back control of all corners of British Conservatism.”

Split

The Welsh Conservatives have obtained the second-largest share of the vote at every general election in Wales since 1931 and currently hold 14 of 40 Welsh seats at Westminster and sixteen of sixty seats in the Senedd.

In June there were reports the Welsh branch was considering “splitting” from the UK party after disappointing results at the 2021 Senedd election and 2022 local elections.

A source told the Telegraph newspaper – the Conservative party’s broadsheet of choice – that they were looking to move “into a more Welsh-focused direction”.

The aim was the “creation of a number of policies in the pipeline that will appeal more uniquely to the Welsh electorate, whilst maintaining a strong Unionist position”.

“There will be clear blue water between both sides,” the source said, in a reference to Rhodri Morgan’s ‘clear red water’ speech – co-written by current First Minister Mark Drakeford, which declared Welsh Labour’s semi-detached status from the UK party.

“We will rebrand the Welsh Conservatives and run different policies to the ones Westminster produces,” the Conservative source continued.

“Welsh Conservatives want Welsh-focused answers to Welsh issues that arise in the devolved competencies.

“The mood is very much of abandonment by Boris. Senedd members were not even invited to Number 10 after the election.”


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Cathy Jones
Cathy Jones
1 year ago

for “injection of energy”, read “an injection of fascism”.

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
1 year ago

Did N.C cover the other hit piece Ms Kennedy wrote for the torygraph where she described Drakeford as economically illiterate and the new political hero for the work shy, She certainly doesn’t like Wales, does she?
I really wish these overpaid prima donna london tory nobheads would keep their noses out of Welsh affairs,

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago

.. and there I was thinking all along that ARTD and his crew were energetically spouting any old cobblers dictated by Tory H.Q London. Evidently not spouting hard enough or high enough!

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
1 year ago

Don’t know where she is from but I suspect she studied at Cardiff Uni and had some form of traumatic experience that drove her to her present condition, poor dab.

I Humphrys
I Humphrys
1 year ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

“broadcast journo”, so basically a propagandist.

Marc
Marc
1 year ago

Ms Kennedy is a genius,, Wales has rejected The Tory Party and their policies in every election and what is her answer? Well, give ‘em more and give it to ‘em harder, don’t ask the peasants what they want , TELL ‘em!

Geraint
Geraint
1 year ago

Cost of living crisis and a Bank of England report highlighting massive problems with inflation and a potential deep recession. Boris and the Chancellor on holiday and ARTD harping on about consistency in Blue Plaques through out Wales. What a useless shower. We will be a lot better off without then.

Stephen Daniel
Stephen Daniel
1 year ago

A minor correction. The phrase ‘clear blue water’ has nothing to do with Rhodri Morgan. It was first used in the early 90s by or about the Tory Party,

George
George
1 year ago

I wonder if there’s an internal Telegraph prize for writing most nonsensical, anti-devolution article that week?

Does this paper have any credibility in Wales? If yes, how?

The original mark
The original mark
1 year ago
Reply to  George

I’m sure the few people who do buy it in Wales, have it delivered in a plain brown paper envelope ( well padded. To avoid accidental spillage )

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

The ones round here are now mostly on a stick or riding some motorised sidecar. There must be a ‘top gear’ just for them on youtube, anyway they are all remarkable, for the lives they have lived and their earth year totals…’hen oed’ it means more in Welsh…

Paul
Paul
1 year ago

“The true blues in the party have rightly dug their heels in, hoping for a genuine Conservative force to return to Wales once more.

Wales has never voted to be ruled by the Conservatives.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

This is the one and only time I’ll ever agree with any trash Telegraph journalist. Andrew RT Davies & Welsh Tories are an irrelevance to Wales.

One of the two witnesses
One of the two witnesses
1 year ago

Oh no. the tories are turning on each other. please stop. 😐

DAI Ponty
DAI Ponty
1 year ago

The tories are irelavante in Cymru they have never have been or will be in Wales on Sky news this morning a women said they used to be called the conservative and unionist part but now they are an english nationalist party which is true

Gareth
Gareth
1 year ago

So proud that she can see .that we in Cymru are an ” overwhelmingly left wing majority “. We have rejected the right for as long as we have been able to vote, and long may it continue. To us here, ART Davies and his motley crew are right wing, but apparently not enough for her, I suppose if the Tory’s here are not wearing blackshirts and goose stepping, they are pandering g to the left, who are the majority as she admits. She is just spouting what is now the norm from London Tory press, put her and that… Read more »

Richard
Richard
1 year ago

Wales and y Senedd need ARTD and a campaign to keep him as a national treasure an effective Opposition Leader. His sharp intelect, keen nose for an issue and TV presentation style are a must to help the journey of our nation. The post Brecit influx of x UKIPers and the ‘“monmouth maffia “ plus followers of David Jones / JFS in Colwyn Bsy / Llandudo on one side plus the new Governor General and the likes of Melding, Glyn D etc on the other must be a difficult cast to keep together. Nation Cymru needs to support efforts to… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Richard
John
John
1 year ago

Hyfryd gweld y ‘good ship lollypop’ a’i chapten ARTI yn suddo o dan y tonnau!
Bodded y diawled bob un.

I Humphrys
I Humphrys
1 year ago

Wales is a conservative country which votes leftish.
Why? Because we detest England’s nasty Tories.

Last edited 1 year ago by I Humphrys
Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
1 year ago

The Anti-Welsh Party

Rob
Rob
1 year ago

So some Tory MSs are taking a centrist approach. Well duh. That’s how you win elections. Not that I would ever vote Tory, but you do have to reach out to the electorate in order to win seats.
If Welsh or Scottish Tories started taking a pro-Wales or pro-Scotland alternative instead of this ‘London knows best’ attitude, then maybe just maybe devolution wouldn’t be a ‘breeding ground for nationalism and socialist policies’.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 year ago

I’ll just cherry pick my favourite bits in this appraisal of the Welsh Tories. ‘Sinking ship’, ‘Dire state of affairs’, ‘Infighting’ and ‘Breeding ground for nationalism’. The first three just bring joy to my heart and the fourth sums up what the whole Tory party is. A breeding ground for a virulent form of extreme nationalism which is shamelessly being played out every day in broad daylight. See how a genuine Conservatism returning to Wales fares when we give it a good kick in the ballot box.

Erisian
Erisian
1 year ago
Reply to  Fi yn unig

Inbreeding ground for nationalism, surely

Erisian
Erisian
1 year ago

You might as well hope for a rise of Happy-clappy Anglican Evangelism to arise in Islamabad.

Argol fawr!
Argol fawr!
1 year ago

Most ‘Welsh Tories’ are ‘English Tories’ trying to get on the Westminster gravy train. It’ll take more than doning a sheepskin to convince me and most they have any intentions other than to homogenise Wales as they’ve been trying to do for centuries.

Last edited 1 year ago by Argol fawr!
Dark Mrakeford
Dark Mrakeford
1 year ago

Do Torygraph writers and readers really think the people of Wales want an injection of Thatcherism? The kind that sowed the seeds of the housing crisis and privatisation that let energy companies make record profits while bills quadrupled?

Jonathan Dean
Jonathan Dean
1 year ago

“appeal more uniquely to the Welsh electorate”

That’s pretty radical for a Senedd election!

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