Tory Leadership Contest

Which Lorraine Kelly? The real person, or the TV personality?

Why the Tory Party’s custodians are thinking of truncating or effectively cancelling the members‘ ballot to choose a leader, such that @BorisJohnson could be crowned within days or a fortnight https://t.co/bvmzc867QR

— Robert Peston (@Peston) June 13, 2019

Could have a handover late next week or the following week at this rate.

It also has to time with what the Queen is up to and where she is remember although I'm sure her diary can be amended to suit.

It's getting like Game of Thrones round here!

And you're surprised? In my view, the various different Tory leadership elections since about 1989, they've all had some sort of "Game Of Thrones"-esque quality about them. Other leadership elections for other parties, also tend to have a similar quality about them, although mostly a bit less so. Admittedly the coverage of these various contests, may have helped create that impression somewhat, but that's how I've seen it over the years. Also admittedly, this particular contest does seem more "Game Of Thrones"-esque than previous ones.

Boris Johnson is happy to do the BBC debate, but still hasn't committed to the Channel 4 one:

This makes it very important @BorisJohnson does #C4debate on sunday too. BBC show is v different with fewer rivals after 2nd round of voting and no live studio audience . Is possible, for instance, he won't face biggest critic @RoryStewartUK or brexiteer rival @DominicRaab https://t.co/uVkZx7j5p5

— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) June 14, 2019

C4 look likely to empty-chair him if he doesn't turn up on Sunday.

Edit: apparently he won't:

Confirmed: @BorisJohnson will *not* be participating in the Channel 4 Tory leadership debate this Sunday.

Sources on his campaign said they were worried about “a mass blue-on-blue attacks, the structure of the debate and hostile briefings made by the Channel 4 team.”

— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) June 14, 2019

Risky strategy from Channel 4 to openly empty chair him when odds are he will be the next pm and in ultimate charge of their future.

It would be the beginning of the end of our broadcasters as organisations with integrity if they started to worry about and make concessions for politicians

So what do you reckon, Channel 4 closed within months?

More like risky strategy from Boris Johnson, not attending a debate that others will be showing up at and them having free shots at you without you being there to respond. That could actually hurt him and his prime minsiterial ambitions.

Can you just do us all a favour and bloody cheer up.