14:47I’ve just been to see Esther McVey formally launch a new group called Blue Collar Conservatism, an internal party campaign intended to push for policies attracting working voters in former industrial areas, which is also viewed as a vehicle for McVey’s own leadership ambitions. If that sounds a bit like the Brexit party, there were definite similarities, not least a video featuring uplifting music, the views of annoyed voters and a claim that Labour has abandoned working class people. In a brief Q&A afterwards, McVey declined to say whether she would ever work with Nigel Farage’s party. The main policy specific was to pare back overseas aid funding to 2010 levels and to spend what Mcvey said would be the left over £7bn a year on schools and the police. McVey also made it clear that she would only back a die-hard Brexiter to replace May, Asked whether someone like Jeremy Hunt or Sajid Javid would suffice, she said it had to be someone who “believes in Brexit with a passion”.

Source: The Guardian May 20, 2019 08:20 UTC