FORMER Tory cabinet minister Rory Stewart has said he would serve in a Labour government led by Keir Starmer.
Stewart, who ran for the leadership of the Conservative party in 2019, said he was impressed by the UK Labour leader during a live podcast show.
Starmer has been vocally trying to woo Tory voters in recent weeks and months, prompting a huge backlash after he praised Margaret Thatcher for “setting loose Britain’s natural entrepreneurialism”.
Stewart served as a minister in four different departments during his time in Government under the Tories, including environment, international development and prisons.
He was asked at a live podcast show at the Albert Hall on Thursday if he would consider taking on a ministerial role in a Labour government, to which he replied, “Yes.”
Alastair Campbell, Stewart’s co-presenter on the Rest of Politics podcast and former Labour spin doctor, said: “It was interesting that one of the loudest cheers of the night came when he said he would happily be a Labour minister in the Lords.”
Speaking to the Financial Times, Stewart added: “I’d always be tempted to go back into government, but not sure I’d really do it. I would honestly have to see what kind of government it was.
“But yes, I am definitely jealous of friends who are ministers.”
Stewart would likely have to be given a seat in the House of Lords, for life, if he was to serve under a Labour government.
It is not unprecedented. Just last month, former Tory prime minister David Cameron was ennobled to allow him to take on the role of Foreign Secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Government.
There was a call for reform to the upper house following the appointment, as Cameron will not have to face MPs’ questions on foreign affairs in the House of Commons, instead sending a junior minister.
And, on Sunday, First Minister Humza Yousaf said the Lords should be abolished after Michelle Mone’s disastrous BBC interview where she admitted she would profit from her involvement in a VIP lane PPE contract.
Mone also confirmed that she had lied to the press about her involvement in the scandal but insisted she had “no case to answer” and had done nothing wrong.
Earlier this year, Stewart said that he had “often” considered standing for election to the Scottish Parliament, adding that the idea was “very attractive” while promoting his latest book.
Meanwhile, Starmer quickly tried to backtrack on his praise of Thatcher after it prompted outrage, particularly in Scotland where the First Minister said the comments were an “insult” to Scottish communities.
At a Scottish Labour gala event shortly afterwards, Starmer insisted he was not a Thatcher fanboy after repeated jibes were made at him during FMQs.
To be fair to Rory Stewart, he does seem like a Tory with some moral and ethical convictions. No wonder he feels so alienated by the post-Boris “promoted for loyalty, rather than for competence” Tory rabble.
Rory Stewart. A man of integrity, a champion of the common man. He would fit right in pink labour.
Edit:spelling
I wish some of his massive centrist liberal fan base would look at his actual voting record. He’s not the cuddly liberal you think.
More centrist tory or not, when you, as the leader of the Labour Party have former Conservative ministers saying they’d serve in your cabinet, you know you have problems with either your messaging or stance on things.
And people still think there’s a difference between Labour and Conservative.
We’re fucked I tell you.
The problem is I like Rory more than I like Keir. I will be voting for a losing party yet again.
When should we start calling a spade a spade? Surely we can all agree Labour is the old Conservative, right?
I swear I first read that as ROD Stewart and thought, “that would be a different cabinet!”
While I might not have agreed with all his policies in the past, I have a lot of respect for him as a politician and would love to see him in the next government (i.e. labour).
Labour party has always been a broad church, just like society is.
There always were a few posh types knocking about, though they should always be in the absolute minority with the party, but there is no harm them being there and having some different points of view.
Personally I am more concerned with practical concerns.. . stop rivers being full of shit, make sure that social mobility is possible, stop the rampant government corruption, ensure that the economy grows, have a sensible relationship with the EU based on cooperation, grow British industry and creative sector, make sure people can get a GP appointment etc etc the list is long
Figures – Rory Stewart is a former spook; Keith Starmer spent his entire career sucking up to spooks and other branches of the state security apparatus
People have to be concerned about the direction the Labour Party is going when MPs who were part of this current government are backing them.
Unsurprisingly, Stewart is a patrician who believes he should rule by dint of birth. Of course he wouldn’t be able to resist being a Minister of the Crown again.
>Speaking to the Financial Times, Stewart added: “I’d always be tempted to go back into government, but not sure I’d really do it. I would honestly have to see what kind of government it was.
>“But yes, I am definitely jealous of friends who are ministers.”
He is comically ambitious.
Well of course he would. It will be almost indistinguishable from Cameron’s government (which RS felt at home in).
They have enough of wannabes so it won’t be necessary, Rorors.
Rory Stewart is proof that if you just speak softly and sound posh enough, people will mistake you for an intelligent thoughtful person.
His entire voting record suggests otherwise.
Anyone else sick of this “Tory lite” and “Red Tory” bullshit?
Just because they’re not super left-wing anymore doesn’t make them on the fucking right. They are centre-left, which is probably the most sensible approach given the current extremely polarised political climate.
If they can give us slow steady improvements and a sense of stability and competency as opposed to the bloody nuttery of the past 13 years then I reckon they could keep the Tories out for more than just a term.
Of course he would, and he probably will even though he is not an elected MP. And that would expose the lack of democracy in our highly rigged 2 party system.
what would a presentable Tory with a boner for thatcher want… from Rory Stewart?
20 comments
(Article)
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FORMER Tory cabinet minister Rory Stewart has said he would serve in a Labour government led by Keir Starmer.
Stewart, who ran for the leadership of the Conservative party in 2019, said he was impressed by the UK Labour leader during a live podcast show.
Starmer has been vocally trying to woo Tory voters in recent weeks and months, prompting a huge backlash after he praised Margaret Thatcher for “setting loose Britain’s natural entrepreneurialism”.
Stewart served as a minister in four different departments during his time in Government under the Tories, including environment, international development and prisons.
He was asked at a live podcast show at the Albert Hall on Thursday if he would consider taking on a ministerial role in a Labour government, to which he replied, “Yes.”
Alastair Campbell, Stewart’s co-presenter on the Rest of Politics podcast and former Labour spin doctor, said: “It was interesting that one of the loudest cheers of the night came when he said he would happily be a Labour minister in the Lords.”
Speaking to the Financial Times, Stewart added: “I’d always be tempted to go back into government, but not sure I’d really do it. I would honestly have to see what kind of government it was.
“But yes, I am definitely jealous of friends who are ministers.”
Stewart would likely have to be given a seat in the House of Lords, for life, if he was to serve under a Labour government.
It is not unprecedented. Just last month, former Tory prime minister David Cameron was ennobled to allow him to take on the role of Foreign Secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Government.
There was a call for reform to the upper house following the appointment, as Cameron will not have to face MPs’ questions on foreign affairs in the House of Commons, instead sending a junior minister.
And, on Sunday, First Minister Humza Yousaf said the Lords should be abolished after Michelle Mone’s disastrous BBC interview where she admitted she would profit from her involvement in a VIP lane PPE contract.
Mone also confirmed that she had lied to the press about her involvement in the scandal but insisted she had “no case to answer” and had done nothing wrong.
Earlier this year, Stewart said that he had “often” considered standing for election to the Scottish Parliament, adding that the idea was “very attractive” while promoting his latest book.
Meanwhile, Starmer quickly tried to backtrack on his praise of Thatcher after it prompted outrage, particularly in Scotland where the First Minister said the comments were an “insult” to Scottish communities.
At a Scottish Labour gala event shortly afterwards, Starmer insisted he was not a Thatcher fanboy after repeated jibes were made at him during FMQs.
To be fair to Rory Stewart, he does seem like a Tory with some moral and ethical convictions. No wonder he feels so alienated by the post-Boris “promoted for loyalty, rather than for competence” Tory rabble.
Rory Stewart. A man of integrity, a champion of the common man. He would fit right in pink labour.
Edit:spelling
I wish some of his massive centrist liberal fan base would look at his actual voting record. He’s not the cuddly liberal you think.
More centrist tory or not, when you, as the leader of the Labour Party have former Conservative ministers saying they’d serve in your cabinet, you know you have problems with either your messaging or stance on things.
And people still think there’s a difference between Labour and Conservative.
We’re fucked I tell you.
The problem is I like Rory more than I like Keir. I will be voting for a losing party yet again.
When should we start calling a spade a spade? Surely we can all agree Labour is the old Conservative, right?
I swear I first read that as ROD Stewart and thought, “that would be a different cabinet!”
While I might not have agreed with all his policies in the past, I have a lot of respect for him as a politician and would love to see him in the next government (i.e. labour).
Labour party has always been a broad church, just like society is.
There always were a few posh types knocking about, though they should always be in the absolute minority with the party, but there is no harm them being there and having some different points of view.
Personally I am more concerned with practical concerns.. . stop rivers being full of shit, make sure that social mobility is possible, stop the rampant government corruption, ensure that the economy grows, have a sensible relationship with the EU based on cooperation, grow British industry and creative sector, make sure people can get a GP appointment etc etc the list is long
Figures – Rory Stewart is a former spook; Keith Starmer spent his entire career sucking up to spooks and other branches of the state security apparatus
People have to be concerned about the direction the Labour Party is going when MPs who were part of this current government are backing them.
Unsurprisingly, Stewart is a patrician who believes he should rule by dint of birth. Of course he wouldn’t be able to resist being a Minister of the Crown again.
>Speaking to the Financial Times, Stewart added: “I’d always be tempted to go back into government, but not sure I’d really do it. I would honestly have to see what kind of government it was.
>“But yes, I am definitely jealous of friends who are ministers.”
He is comically ambitious.
Well of course he would. It will be almost indistinguishable from Cameron’s government (which RS felt at home in).
They have enough of wannabes so it won’t be necessary, Rorors.
Rory Stewart is proof that if you just speak softly and sound posh enough, people will mistake you for an intelligent thoughtful person.
His entire voting record suggests otherwise.
Anyone else sick of this “Tory lite” and “Red Tory” bullshit?
Just because they’re not super left-wing anymore doesn’t make them on the fucking right. They are centre-left, which is probably the most sensible approach given the current extremely polarised political climate.
If they can give us slow steady improvements and a sense of stability and competency as opposed to the bloody nuttery of the past 13 years then I reckon they could keep the Tories out for more than just a term.
Of course he would, and he probably will even though he is not an elected MP. And that would expose the lack of democracy in our highly rigged 2 party system.
what would a presentable Tory with a boner for thatcher want… from Rory Stewart?