Richard Holden insists the Conservative party is a ‘broad church’ with a ‘common goal’
Rishi Sunak described his new cabinet as a “strong and united team” as they met for the first time at No 10.
Opening the meeting, Sunak said:
A warm welcome to those for whom it’s their first cabinet and also a welcome to those for whom it may not be their first time …
Our purpose is nothing less than to make the long-term decisions that are going to change our country for the better. I know that this strong and united team is going to deliver that change for everybody.
Across all of that I’m confident that we can demonstrate to the country that we are making progress on the priorities that I set out at the beginning of the year – to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and to stop the boats.
Looking around this table, I know that we have an energetic and enthusiastic team that is going to deliver for the country. So, let’s get to work.
No, it’s there to represent – I know Esther, I know her husband Philip [Davies] very well – they have various different views on a wide range of different topics just like other MPs do as well. And I think to try and put people into little pockets of one thing or another, I don’t think is fair.
I welcome Esther’s return because I think she’s highly capable and a good presenter of the Tory cause. I think having a minister for woke is silly and I think it’s deeply regrettable that a minister of the calibre and quality of Jeremy Quin, who was in the Cabinet Office, has been lost to the government and they brought in somebody with a silly title. I think it’s an extraordinary thing to do and is not serious, but Esther is a very good person and to have her in the cabinet is a good thing.
I think silly titles for government posts is a Blairite thing. That is not the proper business of government ... This is ridiculously tokenistic, won’t impress anybody.
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