Kemi Badenoch insists she believes in mum pay as Tory rival jumps ‘excess’ claims – UK Politics live

After appearing to fade into irrelevance with the absence of protesters in Birmingham, Tory conference organizers may be relieved that anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray’s voice has been put back on the map.

Bray, a familiar figure in Westminster, arrived on Sunday evening with a loudspeaker and began blasting the conference center and several delegates in the building with funeral music.

Previously, the lack of protesters was only matched by the lack of party members in conferences that focused only on the election of leaders rather than the country.

MPs and Conservative Party officials scored victories in a closely-fought football match to kick off the party’s annual conference in Birmingham, in the first victory over the journalists’ side in 12 years.

The team won only one portion of the MP in the ranks, shadow education minister Gagan Mohindra, but the side was bolstered by former MPs Brendan Clarke-Smith and Karl McCartney who turned out for the side.

Both lost their seats in the general election. Of his friends, Lord Evans of Rainow completed the lineup.

The lobby side dominated the early stages of the first half at Aston Villa’s Academy Center in Birmingham. They took a deserved lead after 21 minutes. Good work down the right saw the ball cut back to an unmarked Richard Vaughan who finished with ease.

Lobi continued to dominate, but were unable to convert possession into clear chances on goal. The waste was then punished by the Conservative side, who knocked the ball over the line to equalize 10 minutes after the opener. A corner came over from the left and was not dealt with before it was forced at the far post.

The Tories then seized the initiative with a fine goal to take the lead before half-time. An incisive ball saw staff member Jack Pollard race beyond the defense into the area, before cutting the ball back and firing a fine shot into the top corner.

Lobi started the second half trying to regain the initiative but struggled to break away and Mr Pollard continued to cause problems in the back line.

However, they were able to return in terms of the level of half through the second half. A cross from the right was met by MPs centre-back Jack Doyle, who in straining to stop the ball was diverted past his own keeper.

Ahead of this week’s party conference, the race to become the next Conservative leader is heating up, writes Andrew Grice – but given the party’s popularity, how important is it?

James Cleverly is the favorite candidate to win the Tory leadership race among the British public, a new poll has shown – but the majority of respondents said they did not know who they would support.

Asked which candidate would make the best prime minister, a new poll by Techne put the former home secretary ahead of his rival candidates with 13 percent support.

You can read the full story below:

Oliver Dowden was interviewed by police officers from the Gambling Commission as part of an official investigation into bets placed on the date of the investigation, sources told Sky news.

But a source close to the former deputy prime minister said The Independent that he did not and never investigated himself.

Sir Oliver spoke to police to help with inquiries in an interview he conducted earlier this summer.

The study, which was launched in June, is expected to continue for another three to six months.

As part of the probe, the Gambling Commission reportedly seized “hundreds of documents” from Tory headquarters.

Robert Jenrick has signaled that he will give Conservative party members a bigger role in electing MPs in future if he becomes party leader.

The mood among some Tory activists turned sour during the general election campaign when Conservative MPs at risk of losing their seats were relegated to safer constituencies.

Among them was Richard Holden, the party chairman, who was chosen as the candidate for Basildon and Billericay when the former North West Durham constituency was dissolved.

Mr Holden, who won the Essex seat, faced strong opposition from local Tory activists when the move was brought out using a foreshortened selection process.

Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference, former minister Mr Jenrick was praised when he said it was “disrespectful” to parachute candidates into safe seats.

He added: “You have no respect for anyone who wants to be a Conservative candidate and a member of Parliament. You have a serious promise that will never happen if I am lucky enough to lead this party.

“You have to be in the driving seat. You have to choose who your parliamentary candidate is. This is how we inspire people of substance to become parliamentary candidates again.

Ditch the non-dom tax, chancellor – and bring in the Robin Hood tax instead, writes John Rentoul:

The only conclusion that can be drawn from this extraordinary meeting is that Harry is shaky, but there are people who want him to leave, said Will Gore – after all, who better to make people want to leave Britain than the former prime minister?

Donors and businesses rejected Tories for Labor and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as the party entered conference with question marks over its finances.

Insiders have told us The Independent that some red flags have been raised in preparation for the first annual conference since the defeat of the historically poor general election in July.

Our political editor David Maddox has the full story below: