Miller hopes to be confirmed as Welsh Tory leader

The Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd are expected to elect Darren Miller as their new leader later today after all his colleagues backed him for the post.

Miller has promised to unify the party that has been divided under the leadership of Andrew RT Davis.

Other potential rivals ruled themselves out and supported Chief Whip and Clyde West. members of the senate (MS) during Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

Davis stepped down on Tuesday After months of pressure over the direction of his party and his social media activity.

Davis called for a confidence vote on Tuesday, which he won, but by a narrow margin. He said it was untenable for him to continue in office.

Miller was first elected in 2007. A pro-devolution politician, he was brought up in Towyn, Conwy, and is arguably the most senior Conservative in the group of 16 apart from Andrew RT Davies.

Miller is a prominent Tory spokesperson in the Welsh media, but has not previously contested the role.

The fact that no rival candidate has come forward means that there will be no vote of the party membership.

If confirmed, the Tory Chief Whip will become the third Welsh political leader to be elected unopposed in two years – following Morgan removed for labor in summer and Raun ap Iorwerth for plaid Cymru In 2023.

All have promised to unify party groups in the Senedd that have faced disputes over leadership.

Since there is no rival candidate there will be no members’ ballot.

Guto Harries, Boris Johnson’s former Downing Street communications director, said the challenge for the Conservatives was not “to replace one leader for another”, but “to put the party in a position to present an alternative government to Labor in Cardiff”. ” Was.

“Let’s get back to what it means to be a conservative. It’s not about cynic crowd pleasing or lobbying for farmers, although those are part of the mix.

“It’s like going back to advocating for a smaller state that takes less of your money.”

He said Miller needed to bring forward “a lot of talent”, including former Tory MPs. He said, “I wouldn’t ruin Stephen Crabb, I wouldn’t ruin David TC Davis.”

Tory unease reached a fever pitch last week when a group of MS raised concerns with Davis at a meeting.

Davis is said to have said he would leave the role of frontbench spokesperson if he did not resign – leading him to seek a vote of confidence.

Some Conservative Senedd members were concerned about the direction of the party under Davis’ leadership and his social media output on the issue.

Davis’s comments about halal meat at a school, which were disputed by the school’s local authority, led to him being accused of being “anti-racist”. a muslim group,

Another tweet shows him asking constituents at an agricultural show if they believe the Senedd should be abolished upset some ToriesWho officially support the transfer.

Davis’s supporters argued that he had tried to deal with the threat from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, while opponents worried that the party was not trying to broaden its support.

It all came as a Senedd voting intentions poll at the weekend suggested the Tories were in fourth place behind plaid, Reform and Labour. The next election is in May 2026.

On Wednesday, the outgoing Welsh Conservative leader said a “conspiracy” had been underway since April.

This was refuted by Peter Fox, one of the seven MSs who voted against him.

“Many things have happened in recent months that have made many of us feel uncomfortable,” he said.

Miller said he wanted to carry on Davies’ legacy and “hold the Welsh Government to account – that’s where our focus should be”.

Under the rules three other MSs are required to endorse a candidate, making a rival candidacy impossible unless one changes support.

Grassroots Newport Tory Hugh Davies said it was “very disappointing” that Conservative members would not be able to elect a new group leader.

“There are many issues that need to be raised and this will not give a mandate to the new leader,” he said.

Nominations close on Thursday at 17:00 GMT.

A Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesman said: “In July Welsh voters delivered their devastating verdict on the Conservatives, ousting every Tory MP in Wales.

“Rearranging the deck chairs in his Senedd group will not help anyone forget his record of incompetence, shoddyness and failure.”