Is anyone on here a Tory party member?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

If so, will you be voting for Johnson or Hunt?

My friends and colleagues are all debating this but none of us are Tory party members so we wont have any say. I then realised I dont actually know any Tory party members to ask them.

So if there are any on here please can you tell us who gets your vote.

[Coppersulphate]

And thank you Emma for respecting people's views. I really appreciate it.
We should be civilised enough to discuss matters without being nasty. I respect you for ensuring that this happened on this thread.

[Iggly]

Boris isn’t actually a staunch brexiteer.

He was flip flopping about which one to punt for - he’s chosen Brexit because it’s the best way for him to make PM.

So I’m not sure why people think he’s that wedded to the idea.

He had the chance in cabinet to drive Brexit and he did fuck all to make it happen!

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Thanks everyone for being so honest. As a left-winger who doesn't have any friends who are Tory party members (or not that they are admitting to!) This is really interesting. It's all very well for me and my friends to discuss who we think should be PM out of Hunt and Johnson, but it's not people like us who will decide.

I'm.really glad this hasn't descended into a slanging match either. I think that whatever peoples political differences, it's important to acknowledge that we all have the right to Express them I'm very tired of the Brexit threads starting out well and then ending in a bunfight.

[viccat]

Yes, been a member for a few years. Hunt all the way but would have voted for anyone who isn't Boris. Actually considering cutting up my membership card and leaving the party if Boris wins.

Totally appalled at the state of politics in general at the moment though; I'm a remainer and feel Brexit is going to be extremely damaging.

[PerkingFaintly]

I was in the park where the infamous zip wire photo was taken the day before. Guess what, there were a load of minions trying out the zip wire and making sure it would stop where they wanted it to!! SO all staged

That would astonish me Doubletrouble99... except I've recently read the same thing about Johnson's "off the cuff", "bumbling" speeches.

Turns out he has a canned speech which he delivers time after time, in which he pretends to have forgotten to prepare a speech and to be ad libbing.

Johnson's working very hard to present a fake front.

[SalrycLuxx]

I used to be. Quit when TM told me I was a citizen of nowhere.

I would vote for Boris though. If I still had a vote.

[Asdf12345]

Johnson. He has the best chance of uniting enough of the country behind a Brexit plan (unity behind any plan will Ben preferable to the no plan at present), and the best chance of winning a general election.

As much as I would personally like a more central Conservative party more votes will be lost to the right than the left, and Corbyn is too far left for me to consider jumping ship.

[ifonly4]

Just been going through this thread. It's roughly 50/50 at the moment, very close to the Brexit result!

[OublietteBravo]

I joined this year - because I could see a leadership contest brewing and wanted a vote. (I’ve just made it past 3 months membership, so I’m eligible to vote). I don’t want either of them (my preference was Lovely-for-a-Tory Rory), but I’ll vote against Boris.

[gutrotweins]

Eyewhisker
But Hunt said, "If there isn't and if no deal is still on the table I've been very clear. I will leave the European Union without a deal. But I'm not going to do that if there's a prospect of a better deal and if I did it it would be with a heavy heart because businesses up and down the country would face a lot of destruction."

Doesn't look like Hunt cares too much about the wreckage either.

What a choice! I don't envy you!

[Eyewhisker]

I joined this year as I wanted a say in who the PM is. I’ll vote for Hunt because Johnson is a bit of a shit who doesn’t care what wreckage he leaves behind.

[placemats]

I was going to join the party in January, but got cold feet. Wish I had now. I would vote for J H but I would be deeply disappointed at the choice. Rory Stewart would have been better.

If Max Hastings says Johnson is unfit for public office it tells you all you need to know. I already know this anyway.

If the Conservative Party start to implode, I believe that ditching the Union will be considered to save it. Nature abhors a vacuum and this is particularly so in politics. The Brexit Party will rise on the back of a Conservative Party collapse. Labour will never be in power again. Nor will the Lib Dems, who are really Tories in disguise.

[Doubletrouble99]

I'm a member and have been for a couple of years. I don't want to vote for either of them. As a Scottish conservative I can't tolerate Boris, he is a total idiot and I can't stand politicians who won't answer a question. I was in the park where the infamous zip wire photo was taken the day before. Guess what, there were a load of minions trying out the zip wire and making sure it would stop where they wanted it to!! SO all staged, god knows why. Why would any politician think it a great idea to make a foul of themselves especially as it now transpires he has wanted to be PM for years.
Hunt is far too like May so the EU won't give him any more concessions as they can see right through him and know full well he won't no deal.
I'm lucky in that I'm on holiday and can't vote so this decision has been taken out of my hands!

[Coppersulphate]

I have now decided I will definitely vote for Boris because I don't trust Jeremy Hunt to get us out of the EU.
Hunt is a remainer at heart so I am wary.
And yes, I think Boris could prevent a Corbyn government.
Most members I know will vote for Boris.
I have been a member for several years

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Thank you @MadMum. You're right that it's a big responsibility to elect a prime minister which is why it seems so odd to.me that I dont know anyone in RL who will have a vote. That probably says more about my narrow social circle than anything else!

[MadMum2015]

Yes I'm a member, I re-joined last year as there was clear Kipper entryism going on so wanted to work against it. Neither of the final 2 candidates are who I wanted (Rory 1, Saj 2) but I will vote for Hunt. The Tories are in a crazy situation of losing votes on both their left and right and in that sense Johnson is probably the better of the two because Hunt isn't centrist enough to win back the moderates from the Lib Dems (whereas Rory may well have done) but Johnson may just be Brexity enough to win back some from the Brexit Party. I know there are many members who are voting for Johnson through gritted teeth for this reason alone. However, I'm aware (pomposity alert) that it's a responsibility to elect a PM, even if it's likely they'll only be in office for a short time. On that basis, Hunt is a more serious, harder-working and generally more sensible person than Johnson, so he'll get my vote.

[Peregrina]

Save Rory Stewart for rebuilding the party when Johnson or Hunt have completely wrecked it.

[topcat2014]

I joined last year. There is no way on god's earth I would vote for Boris Johnson because of Nazanin Zagari Ratcliffe.

So looks like Jeremy Hunt.

Would have liked it to be Rory Stuart

[NoBaggyPants]

For those voting for Johnson, are you not concerned about his Islamophobic views? Or his stance on historic child abuse?

[donquixotedelamancha]

what does he have to do to “muck it up” though? He’s been proved to be one of the most loathsome, vile, Machiavellian, and frankly appalling politicians ever to grace the UK

Boris is running for leadership of the Conservative Party. You have just described why he has a 30% lead, not things that would stop him winning.

[NoBaggyPants]

@otterturk To vote in the Labour leadership contest you had to have been a party member for six months, so twice as long as the Conservative leadership contest.

I doubt you even know what Trotskyism is.

[cambozoly]

I have been a Tory member for 10 years. I will vote for Johnson because I like him and I think he is our best hope for leaving the EU.

I don't think it's likely we will Brexit, considering all the vested interests - and MPs - that are against it. But Boris is much more likely to succeed than Hunt.

Not at all bothered by his private life.

[The80sweregreat]

If I had a vote , I'd go for J H as he seems a bit more level headed.
If I were a Conservative member I would be annoyed it was only between those two.
I think a few won't bother and spoil their votes (heard someone on lbc say this and he sounded pretty genuine)

[Peregrina]

Is Corbyn Far left? I would have said, leftish, but mostly promoting the sort of mixed economy that we used to have. But anyway, he's not a Tory, so it's irrelevant.

I do question whether Johnson could prevent a Corbyn Government. If Johnson loses a vote of Confidence - what happens? The next biggest party tries to form a Government and failing that a GE. As the one who appears steadier, I think Hunt is the one who would stop Corbyn getting a chance.

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

I didn't ask whether a Labour government would be better than a Tory one. I just want to know who those who will be voting on the next Prime Minister are supporting? Ie Tory party members.

Thanks to those of you who have replied frankly.

I know the media thinks that Boris will.win, and I have my own views on whether that's a good thing, but I'm wondering whether that really will be the case.