The General Election may have been over a month ago but on Friday afternoon Penrith was the setting for a Conservative candidate on the campaign trail to set out why he should be the next Conservative Party leader.
Tom Tugendhat MP and Shadow Security Minister, met Conservative Party members from across Cumbria in Penrith on Friday afternoon as part of his tour of local associations across the UK.
The event was held at the Conservative Club in Penrith with local conservative members and some of the areas former MP’s and candidates in the July General Election.
During his speech, Tugendhat said that the Conservative Party lost the General Election because it failed to deliver what it promised, including on tax and immigration.
As part of his campaign pledged to local members on Friday he said that as leader of the Conservatives he would unite the Party, rebuild the trust of the British people, and win the next General Election by focusing on delivery and rebuilding the Party around traditional conservative principles.
Cumbria seats will be among key targets in the next General Election for the Conservatives with the new Penrith and the Solway Constituency among the key target seats following the 2024 General Election losses that resulted in all seats previously held by the Conservatives in Cumbria lost to labour.
Tom Tugendhat said: "I am delighted to be here in Penrith. The next few months are critical for the Conservative Party. We need to have an honest conversation about the future of our party and how we rebuild from the ground up. The choice ahead of us is clear: we must draw a line under the infighting and broken promises, and unite the Conservative Party so that we can win in five years’ time."
“Local associations and members are the backbone of the Conservative Party. It is their hard work and dedication that drive Conservative values forward. Sadly, over the past few years, instead of fighting for these traditional values - including lower taxes, controlled immigration, and personal freedoms - we have too often fought among ourselves. We didn’t do what we said we would, and we lost the trust of the British people.
“This is what I will put an end to. As Leader of the Conservative Party, I will unite our party, rebuild trust with the British people, and win in five years’ time. I look forward to working with everyone across our Conservative family to achieve this and deliver for the British people.”
Among those attending on Friday were former MP’s Mark Jenkinson and John Stevenson along with Matty Jackman, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale in the General Election.
Speaking with Penrith.Town today Matty said, "It was a fantastic event in Penrith yesterday, and it was great to have Tom back in Cumbria. Tom is the best candidate to unite our party and set us on course for victory. He’s a man of service and genuine integrity, and I know he will serve Cumbria well as our leader."
He added, "Tom is already inspiring the next generation of Conservatives while bringing together both former and existing voters. He understands the North and knows what we need. Tom is the leader who will bring us success."
Conservative Party members from across the UK will vote for the new party leader with Six candidates standing for the leadership role: Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat. The six candidates will be reduced to two in a series of votes, when the final two candidates will face a final vote in November with the new leader announced.
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