Top Conservative politician Chris Philp struggled to identify the leader of his party in Wales during a challenging television interview. The Shadow Home Secretary faced difficulty when questioned by GB News host Chris Hope. Despite several attempts to dodge the question, Philp eventually admitted his inability to recall the leader’s name, referring to him as a “relatively new leader.”
Hope promptly informed Philp that the Welsh Conservative leader is Darren Millar, emphasizing the party’s declining presence in Wales. He criticized the Tories for seemingly neglecting Wales and returning to their traditional English strongholds, predicting a dismal outcome in the upcoming elections.
In response, Philp defended his party’s commitment to governing the entire country, citing various initiatives outlined at the party conference, such as welfare savings, stamp duty cuts, immigration control, and police recruitment.
Darren Millar assumed leadership of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd following Andrew RT Davies’ resignation last December. Davies had faced a vote of no confidence due to party direction criticisms.
Recent electoral results in Caerphilly showed the Tories securing only a 2% vote share, placing fourth behind Plaid Cymru, Reform, and Labour. Philp faced scrutiny for his shifting stance on a Reform MP’s controversial remarks regarding race in advertising, initially downplaying them before later labeling the comments as racist.
The Croydon South MP condemned the statements, acknowledging their racist nature and supporting the need for an apology. The incident highlighted ongoing challenges faced by the Conservative party amidst internal and external controversies.