The Conservative & Unionist Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that supports center-right policies and promotes conservative values. It organizes political campaigns, selects and supports candidates, and presents policy positions to voters. Unlike many parties, it emphasizes a long-standing tradition and stable leadership, tracing its roots back to 1834 as the oldest political party in the world. Its goal is to win elections and shape government policy in line with Conservative principles.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
1834
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Veteran London Conservative dramatically quits party over human rights clash with Kemi Badenoch. London Assembly Chair Andrew Boff supports remaining in the European Court of Human Rights while nationally the Tory party does not. News Kumail Jaffer Local Democracy Reporter covering the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority 09:27, 22 Oct 2026 Veteran politician Andrew Boff has resigned from the Conservative Party after 53 years over clashing positions on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Article continues below The London Assembly chairman, who was first elected to his position in City Hall in 2008, had only recently launched his seventh attempt to become his party's candidate for the upcoming London Mayoral race. Article continues below However, in what is understood to be a row over his support for the country remaining in the ECHR - contrary to the party's stance - he has now resigned from the party entirely. Mr Boff said he had "not abandoned my Conservative principles" but believed "the party has abandoned some of its own". Article continues below 138205439133 "I will not surrender those principles in order to remain a member of any political party," he added. Last year party leader Kemi Badenoch said anyone who wants to stand as a Conservative candidate at the next election must support her plan to withdraw from the ECHR. Mr Boff will now serve as an independent London-wide member, and is understood to still be eligible for his position as chair of the Assembly. Article continues below Its community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from Outoftheboxbook Limited and its partners. You can check out at any time. More info Assembly Member Emma Best, who is the Deputy Leader of the City Hall Conservatives, called on her former colleague to resign from the London Assembly. Article continues below "Stand down from the Assembly for integrity's sake," she said in a late night social media post. "Like me, Andrew's a list member. That means Londoners didn't vote for us, they literally voted 'Conservative'. Let the next Conservative on the list step up." However, the City Hall Conservatives were swift to insist that this was not the official position of the group. Article continues below Leader Susan Hall praised Mr Boff's contribution to the party but insisted they stand by the national leadership's position on leaving the ECHR. The Conservatives will now be down to six members on the 25-strong Assembly, but are still the main opposition. Article continues below There was a mixed response from other political parties on the London Assembly, however, with the City Hall Labour group saying Mr Boff "deserves credit for standing by his principles". "When a Conservative of 53 years leaves for supporting the European Convention on Human Rights, it shows how far from the mainstream Kemi Badenoch's party has shifted," they added. Article continues below Hina Bokhari, who leads the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, noted her "enormous respect" for Mr Boff as a "man of principle", adding: "A Conservative Party that can't accommodate lifelong Tories like him isn't worthy of its name. It's now just a second-rate Reform tribute act." Article continues below Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney, who is the frontrunner to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for the 2028 London Mayoral election, said: "The Tories have lost a decent man and a powerful voice for London. "Yet again, Badenoch's Conservatives are happy to chase Reform UK and exclude tolerant, liberal Londoners." Article continues below Mr Boff has a history of rebelling against his own party - most notably heckling former Home Secretary Suella Braverman at the annual conference in 2023. Article continues below A Reform UK spokesperson suggested that Mr Boff was too liberal for a centre-right party in the first place. "Andrew Boff is a left-wing laughing stock," they told the LDRS. "The fact he has spent 50 years as a Tory tells us all we need to know about them as a party, especially in London where they are divided beyond recognition." Article continues below Mr Boff was contacted for further comment. Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to its daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
Alex Burghart appointed Tory deputy leader in reshuffle. By David Lynch and Sophie Wingate, Press Association Political Staff Published 1st Sep 2026, 12:08 BST Sir Mel Stride and Dame Priti Patel were sacked in Kemi Badenoch's shake-up of her frontbench team. Kemi Badenoch has appointed Alex Burghart as deputy leader of the Conservative Party as part of a reshuffle of her top team that saw Sir Mel Stride sacked as shadow chancellor. The Conservative leader carried out most of the shake-up before Parliament's return on Tuesday and ahead of the party's conference in October. The Tories said Mr Burghart, a "close adviser" to Mrs Badenoch, will also continue as shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and shadow Northern Ireland secretary. In other changes, Sir Mel was the first big beast to be ousted, with Mrs Badenoch appointing Andrew Griffith in his place as shadow chancellor. Claire Coutinho, previously the shadow energy secretary, replaced Mr Griffith as shadow business secretary while Sir Mel will join influential Tories Dame Priti Patel and Sir James Cleverly on the back benches following the shake-up. New shadow business secretary Ms Coutinho is currently on maternity leave. Her role will be covered by Conservative former minister Julia Lopez until the new year. Former shadow Scotland secretary Andrew Bowie succeeds Ms Coutinho as the shadow energy secretary. Dame Priti left her role as shadow foreign secretary on Sunday, to be replaced by Conservative former minister Tom Tugendhat. Sir James announced on Saturday he would stand down as shadow housing secretary to take a run at the Tory candidacy for London mayor. Katie Lam, who was elected in 2024, has been promoted as the replacement for Sir James, having previously served as an opposition whip. Two other 2024 intake Conservative MPs, Rebecca Paul and Harriet Cross, have been appointed as shadow culture secretary and shadow Scotland secretary respectively. Stuart Andrew has left Mrs Badenoch's top team as shadow health secretary, to be replaced by former minister Damian Hinds. Joy Morrissey, a former opposition whip, has been appointed shadow minister for women and equalities. Other senior Tory figures have retained their frontbench positions, including shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins, shadow transport secretary Richard Holden and Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake. The Conservatives' political rivals were quick to point out that new shadow chancellor Mr Griffith supported Liz Truss and her mini budget, which caused market turmoil in 2022. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said it was "clear Conservatives haven't learned a thing" and that Mr Griffith's appointment "shows they're happy to forfeit any claim to economic credibility in their race to the bottom" with Reform UK. Treasury minister Emma Reynolds said on social media: "The new shadow chancellor backed Liz Truss to be PM and he was a treasury minister during the Tories' disastrous 2022 mini-budget which left families paying the price. Same old Tories, same old economic policies." A senior Tory source said Mr Griffith had been appointed because of his "incredibly impressive financial and business background", pointing to his work as a former Sky executive and as chairman of Just Eat. They added: "While the Labour front bench has almost no private sector experience, Andrew's experience means he not only knows but understands the many issues that businesses face and has a wealth of contacts in the business community."
Griffith replaces Stride in Tory reshuffle. Politics and Economics Reporter Andrew Griffith has been announced as the new shadow chancellor, replacing Sir Mel Stride in a Conservative Party reshuffle before parliament returns on Tuesday. Griffith, who was the shadow business secretary, will now lead on economics policy for the Tories. Kemi Badenoch's move to sack Stride came as part of a move to change the party's approach on growth, living standards and credibility, a source said. The Tory leader also moved Claire Coutinho from her shadow energy secretary brief to business. She will act as Griffith's "deputy across the economic brief". The reshuffle earned the plaudits of senior business figures including AJ Bell founder Andy Bell and Luke Johnson, founder of Gail's. News updates. Stay ahead with our three daily briefings delivering all the key market moves, top business and political stories, and incisive analysis straight to your inbox. A Conservative source said that Stride brought "seriousness and stability" although Griffith had "an incredibly impressive financial and business background" as the former chief operating officer at Sky. Gail's entrepreneur Johnson Griffith was "eminently qualified" to serve as shadow chancellor while Bell said Griffith was a "effective as City minister in diagnosing the regulation and risk aversion that is holding the economy back". Julia Lopez, who was the shadow technology secretary, will cover for Coutinho while she is on maternity leave until the end of the year. Richard Fuller will remain as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. "Andrew and Kemi are in complete lockstep on how we back business, bring down taxes and regulation and get Britain working again," the figure added. Stride said it was an "honour" to serve in Badenoch's shadow cabinet. Griffith and Tugendhat promoted. Earlier on Monday, it was announced that Tom Tugendhat was handed a promotion to the Conservative front bench. The former security minister was appointed to Badenoch's top team as shadow foreign secretary. It means the former Home Secretary Priti Patel will be demoted as she takes on an "international role" to build alliances between the Conservatives and other centre-right parties across the world. Patel also said her new role would give her "greater freedom" to represent her Witham constituency. Badenoch said Patel had been "exceptionally loyal, hard-working and supportive during a very difficult period for the party". A source close to Badenoch meanwhile said that Tugendhat was given the "good news" when he was talking to Taiwanese officials about threats posed by China. The former security minister has long been a staunch critic of governments in Russia, Iran and China. He was security minister in the Conservative government between 2022 and 2024. In an opinion article for City AM in October, he said a parliamentary spy scandal involving the failed prosecution of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry showed that the government's "evident fear of annoying Beijing shows we have reached the point where Whitehall believes Britain cannot sustain its own economy or defend its own interests without outside help". Reshuffle underway. A shadow cabinet reshuffle was triggered by James Cleverly's resignation on Saturday night when he announced his intention to stand as a candidate for London mayor. Cleverly, who was the shadow housing and communities secretary, will still have to win the Conservatives' nomination in London. The Conservatives have not yet announced a replacement for Cleverly. It was also revealed on Monday that Stuart Andrew, the shadow health secretary, would leave his post. The change of guard on the opposition frontbench marks an effort by Badenoch to boost public support. Some political strategists have predicted that Andy Burnham could call an election within months in a bid to shore up his political mandate. It was reported on the weekend that Badenoch has written to the Cabinet Secretary, Antonia Romeo, to get early access talks to Whitehall before a potential vote. Opposition leaders are normally able to speak to government officials about 12 months before an election is due. City AM/Freshwater Strategy polling shows that the Conservatives are level with the Labour Party on 23 per cent of the voter share, compared to 26 per cent for Reform UK. Kemi Badenoch is one of the most popular politicians with a net approval rating of four, compared to -20 for Nigel Farage. Burnham is on a rating of 12.
Priti Patel out as Kemi Badenoch begins Tory frontbench reshuffle. The former home secretary is taking up an "international role" for her party. 31/08/2026 07:44am BST Ask HuffPost UK anything Who replaces Priti Patel as shadow foreign secretary? Which MP is leaving the frontbench to run for London mayor? Why did Priti Patel leave her shadow foreign secretary role? DeeperDive AI Full Summary Priti Patel has quit as the Conservative Party's shadow foreign secretary, with Tom Tugendhat set to replace her, as leader Kemi Badenoch begins a frontbench reshuffle that also sees James Cleverly, Claire Coutinho and Helen Grant leave their roles. Priti Patel has left her post as shadow foreign secretary as Kemi Badenoch launches a reshuffle amid speculation Andy Burnham could call an early election. In a surprise move, the former home secretary announced on X that she would be taking on an "international role" for the Conservatives to strengthen its links with other centre-riight parties around the world. She will be replaced as shadow foreign secretary by Tom Tugendhat in a Tory frontbanch shake-up which could take place as early as today. Her announcement came just a day after James Cleverly announced he was quitting as the Tories' shadow housing secretary to run to be London mayor. Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, is also standing down to go on maternity leave, while shadow solicitor general Helen Grant will also leave the Tory frontbench. Patel, who is the MP for Witham, said: "I'm pleased to continue supporting Kemi and the Conservative Party in a new role strengthening our relationships with fellow conservatives and centre-right parties around the world. "At a time of profound global uncertainty, when our values and freedoms are under threat, conservatives must work more closely together." She said it had been "an honour" to lead the party's foreign affairs team, citing challenges to the Labour government's Chagos Islands deal and calls for stronger action to protect the UK from threats posed by China, Iran and Russia. Badenoch will hope her reshuffle - the first since she became Tory leader nearly two years ago - helps to revive her party's fortunes. Although her own personal approval ratings have improved, the Conservatives still trail behind Labour and Reform UK in the opinion polls. Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week's biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what's going on at Westminster.
'I did not come into public life for a label' - Former Wellingborough mayor leaves party to serve as independent town councillor. By William Carter Published 26th Aug 2026, 12:09 BST Cllr Raj Mishra, who served as Wellingborough's mayor during the 2025-26 electoral year, has decided to leave the Conservative Party but will continue as an independent councillor. Cllr Mishra, who serves on Wellingborough Town Council representing the Victoria ward, was elected with 11 per cent of the vote during the local elections in May 2025 and took the role of mayor just days after being elected as a councillor for the first time. In a letter penned on Friday (August 21), Cllr Mishra said: "Let me say clearly what this is not. It is not a swipe at anybody. The members and volunteers I worked alongside gave their evenings and their weekends because they wanted this town to do well, and I think better of them for it. I am grateful for the opportunities I was given and I will not pretend otherwise. We part on good terms and I wish them well. "It is a decision about how I can be most useful to you. "I did not come into public life for a label. I came into it because I believe a town is built by the people who live in it, and that the job of a councillor is to back them, to unblock things for them, and to stand in their corner when nobody else will. You May Like "Sitting as an independent means that when something comes before the council, I can weigh it on one question alone. What does this do for the people of Wellingborough. That is the whole of it." Cllr Mishra has been outspoken about 'avoidable' problems in Wellingborough such as the town's crime rate and anti-social behaviour and the current state of the town centre. He has previously said 'the institutions that exist to address them have, too often, looked the other way.' Following his departure from the Conservative Party, Cllr Mishra plans to continue his efforts on the council moving forward albeit without a party, having 'no intention' of joining another. He added: "The bigger things carry on too. Wellingborough deserves a town centre with life in it and a reason for families to spend their Saturday here rather than somewhere else. "It deserves development that arrives with the roads, the school places and the health services to match, rather than years afterwards. "It deserves streets that feel safe and cared for, parks we are proud of, and young people who can build a future in the town they grew up in if they choose to stay. "None of that belongs to a party. It belongs to Wellingborough. I will work with anyone, of any party or none, who wants to get on with it, and I will say so plainly when something is good for this town and when it is not. "My commitment to you is exactly what it was on the day you first elected me. Whatever you vote, whoever you are, whichever part of this town you live in, you are my job. My phone and my inbox stay open and I will answer." The Victoria ward of Wellingborough will continue to be served by Cllr Mishra (Independent), as well as Faith Hewitt (Conservative), Kelly Duddridge (Labour) and Marion Turner-Hawes (Independent). Cllr Mishra is the third Independent town councillor, alongside Cllr Marion Turner-Hawes and Cllr Allan Shipham.