Tory chairman Richard Holden dodges questions about being ‘parachuted into safe seat’
The Tory party chairman has refused to answer questions about his selection controversy after he was chosen to stand in a “safe seat” 300 miles away from his former constituency.
Richard Holden was chosen to be the Conservatives’ parliamentary candidate in Basildon and Billericay in Essex last week, after being the only candidate on the list.
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The choice sparked a furore among local Tories as before the election was called he was the MP for North West Durham – an area hundreds of miles away, which he claimed to be “bloody loyal” to.
Basildon and Billericay is seen as a “safe seat” with its former MP John Baron, who has stood down for the election, winning a majority of more than 20,000 in 2019.
Mr Holden refused to engage with questions about the row when speaking to broadcasters on Sunday.
Asked multiple times how he could justify being “parachuted into a safe seat” with a shortlist of just one, he went on a tangent about Labour’s policy to tax private school fees, and comments made by shadow minister Emily Thornberry.
He said: “This interview is about Emily Thornberry’s comments today when she admitted that it is going to be our children across the country paying the price for Labour’s decision to try and tax private schools if they get into office.”
Mr Holden was referring to Ms Thornberry saying that class sizes in state schools may increase as a result of Labour adding VAT to private school fees, which could see some pupils leave the independent sector.
He said: “That I think is a horrendous price to pay… for Labour’s ideological obsession.”
Asked to deny if he was part of a “stich-up” with his seat selection, Mr Holden again pointed to Ms Thornberry’s comments.
Asked why he said in February he was “bloody loyal” to the North East – where he has been an MP since 2019 – he claimed he has answered questions about the selection row on Channel 4.
It was put to him that C4 is one broadcaster and he was taking part in a pool clip – which sees broadcasters share their footage – but Mr Holden would still not be drawn in on the matter.
Holden ‘a disgrace to the Conservative Party’
His refusal to answer the questions drew a fierce condemnation from one Tory candidate, who told Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates he is a “disgrace to the Conservative Party”.
They added: “He’s put himself over candidates. He’s shown complete disdain for party members. The only reason this fool won’t be associated with this disastrous election is because nobody believes anyone thinks he competent, capable or trusted enough to be involved in the day-to-day decision making of this campaign.
“It’s a running joke amongst candidates that they hope it’s a Labour gain in Basildon and Billericay.”
Former defence secretary Sir Liam Fox gave a more muted criticism, telling Sky News: “I think when politicians stop answering questions directly, the public stop listening.”
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PM ‘out on road over next few days’
Mr Holden also faced questions about Rishi Sunak, who has been accused of avoiding the media as the row over his early exit from an international D-Day event continues.
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Sunak avoids D-Day questions
Asked if he is hiding, Mr Holden said: “The prime minister will be out on the road, I’m sure, over the next few days, fighting for every vote right across the country.”
Mr Sunak has been campaigning in Yorkshire without the usual media pack today after facing accusations of “dodging” reporters’ questions on Saturday as the row over his D-Day snub rumbles on.
The prime minister was forced to apologise on Friday for skipping an international ceremony attended by world leaders including US President Joe Biden to mark the 80th anniversary of the allied landings.
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But backlash has continued to pile in from rivals, veterans and some within his own party, with Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie branding the early departure “the biggest gaffe I can remember in politics”.
The continued criticism, which comes amid a 20-point poll deficit, has even fuelled speculation Mr Sunak could resign before polling day – something cabinet minister Mel Stride was forced to shut down on Sunday.
He told Sky News Mr Sunak will “absolutely” lead the party into the election.
“There should be no question of anything other than that,” he said.
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The return on Donald Trump to the G7 was always going to be unpredictable. That it is happening against the backdrop of an escalating conflict in the Middle East makes it even more so.
Expectations had already been low, with the Canadian hosts cautioning against the normal joint communique at the end of the summit, mindful that this group of leaders would struggle to find consensus.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney carefully laid down an agenda that was uncontroversial in a bid to avoid any blow-ups between President Trump and allies, who of late have been divided like never before – be it over tariffs and trade, Russia and Ukraine, or, more recently Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
But discussions around critical minerals and global supply chains will undoubtedly drop down the agenda as leaders convene at a precarious moment. Keir Starmer, on his way over to Canada for a bi-lateral meeting in Ottawa with PM Carney before travelling onto the G7 summit in Kananaskis, underscored the gravity of the situation as he again spoke of de-escalation, while also confirmed that the UK was deploying more British fighter jets to the region amid threats from Tehran that it will attack UK bases if London helps defend Israel against airstrikes.
Canadian PM Mark Carney is greeted by President Donald Trump at the White House in May. Pic: AP
Really this is a G7 agenda scrambled as world leaders scramble to de-escalate the worst fighting between Tel Aviv and Tehran in decades. President Trump has for months been urging Israel not to strike Iran as he worked towards a diplomatic deal to halt uranium enrichment. Further talks had been due on Sunday – but are now not expected to go ahead.
All eyes will be on Trump in the coming days, to see if the US – Israel’s closest ally – will call on Israel to rein in its assault. The US has so far not participated in any joint attacks with Tel Aviv, but is moving warships and other military assets to the Middle East.
Sir Keir, who has managed to strike the first trade deal with Trump, will want to leverage his “good relationship” with the US leader at the G7 to press for de-escalation in the Middle East, while he also hopes to use the summit to further discuss the further the interests of Ukraine with Trump and raise again the prospects of Russian sanctions.
“We’ve got President Zelenskyy coming so that provides a good opportunity for us to discuss again as a group,” the PM told me on the flight over to Canada. “My long-standing view is, we need to get Russia to the table for an unconditional ceasefire. That’s not been really straightforward. But we do need to be clear about what we need to get to the table and that if that doesn’t happen, sanctions will undoubtedly be part of the discussion at the G7.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (R) is greeted by Mark Carney as he arrives in Ottawa ahead of the G7
But that the leaders are not planning for a joint communique – a document outlining what the leaders have agreed – tells you a lot. When they last gathered with Trump in Canada for the G7 back in 2018, the US president rather spectacularly fell out with Justin Trudeau when the former Canadian president threatened to retaliate against US tariffs and refused to sign the G7 agreement.
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Since then, Trump has spoken of his desire to turn Canada into the 51st state of the US, a suggestion that helped catapult the Liberal Party beyond their Conservative rivals and back into power in the recent Canadian elections, as Mark Carney stood on a ticket of confronting Trump’s aggression.
With so much disagreement between the US and allies, it is hard to see where progress might be made over the next couple of days. But what these leaders will agree on is the need to take down the temperature in the Middle East and for all the unpredictability around these relationships, what is certain is a sense of urgency around Iran and Israel that could find these increasingly disparate allies on common ground.
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