Conservative-leaning British newspapers have had a decisive moment in the election of the next prime minister. The political analysis they project — the headlines they choose — could effectively anoint the next No. 10 resident. But while these conservative titles continue to be contested for the merits of rival candidates, the impact on Conservative party voters is uncertain.
According to Chris Blackhurst, a former editor of the Independent, the limited constituency, estimated at just over 150,000 party members, is seeking guidance in a confusing battle. “These leadership elections represent the high point, in terms of power, for right-wing press barons,” he said. “The entire electorate of this race is made up of its readers. Its ability to influence the outcome far exceeds any influence they may have in a general election.”
The Daily Mail and the Telegraph, the two most read headlines among Conservative members, have a combined moment of potential agency. What do they do with it? Well, this weekend the Telegraph has given a boost halfway to Penny Mordaunt, reporting her allegations of a dark arts campaign to undermine her position.
She is being the target of defamation, she says in an extensive interview that comes along with a plea by columnist Allison Pearson for conservatives not to dismiss Mordaunt in an attack of “self-inflicted madness.” Pearson also condemns Truss as a terrible communicator.
However, the pages of the Telegraph, which is owned by Frederick Barclay’s Press Holdings media group, also find room for veteran commentator Simon Heffer to convey a bad joke about an anonymous MP’s Mordaunt. “The lights are on but no one is home,” he quotes.
The Telegraph keeps its most condemning words for parliamentary assassins, or “rude conspirators,” who stabbed the prime minister, ignoring the fact that these conspirators include almost everyone who has worked with him.
The Daily Mail, on the other hand, has made very clear its displeasure with Mordaunt, publishing a series of stories over the past week attacking its views on the genre, questioning its role in the navy and even criticizing the ‘man with whom he co-wrote a book. with to “like” a nasty tweet.
In the news empire overseen by Paul Dacre, Liz Truss is preferred, because she is seen to be more connected to the traditional interests of the party. The Foreign Minister is, according to a Mail editorial, “the one who most embodies the conservative principles of aspiration, family values and low taxes.” His “imaginative” plans include reversing the rise in national insurance and ending some green taxes on businesses, presumably in favor of the “nature survey” he outlined in last week’s television debate .
In the same newspaper, which is ultimately controlled and presided over by Viscount Rothermere, a review of columnist Sarah Vine’s televised debate applauds Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch as sincere speakers, but gives Sunak maximum credit for his control of the details. .
Amanda Platell, the Australian dean of Fleet Street, fills a page in the Mail with her fears about a post of Prime Minister of Mordaunt. The idea “fills me with horror,” he writes, recalling a time as Mordaunt’s boss within the Tory public relations machine. He generously calls Mordaunt’s PM4PM slogan “ingenious”, but argues that it is not “proven” and that it is too “awake”.
However, it is Sunak who receives the most sustained blow to the Mail. It now has the support of China, notes a report, under the headline, “The endorsement no one wanted.” Readers are also warned of Sunak’s old plan for a green fuel tax and his secret sympathies for the BBC.
In the Rupert Murdoch newspaper stable, his mass market tabloid, The Sun, plays a less important role than he would in a general election. For now, the Times is the protagonist and adopts a cooler stance. Sunak is your best choice, thanks to its experience and financial capacity. Yesterday the newspaper said the televised debate had seen how the chancellor justified his status as a favorite. Mordaunt and Truss performed poorly, he said.
Does the traditional Tory press still dominate? Not everyone is sure. “I don’t think there is hegemony in the conservative press that was there before,” said journalist and commentator Kate Maltby. Noting the influence of the Conservative Home website, he added, “Membership in Tory is also now more Internet-savvy and social-dominated than it was even four years ago.”