James Cleverly was mocked for telling Sky News that the Conservatives “exist to provide good government” this morning.
The former home secretary, who now holds the same role but in the shadow cabinet, was speaking about the upcoming leadership race in the Tory Party, when he admitted there is a “reasonable chance” he will run for the top job.
“We enter public service because we want to serve the British people,” Cleverly said Sky News this morning.
“And as I’ve said, particularly as the Conservatives – we’re not a think tank, we’re not the political arm of some movement – the Conservative Party exists to provide good government.
“When we are in government, it’s our duty to do it well.
“And when we’re ejected from government, as we have been at this general election, we need to think about why that happened, what we need to do differently.”
A clip of this exchange from the shadow home secretary caused quite the stir on social media, after 14 years of turbulent government from the Conservatives.
Some critics accused Cleverly of having “no shame”...
Alexa, show me an example of no shame https://t.co/5tBks2r5wJ
— Adam (@AdBarak) July 23, 2024
...others asked if it was comedy...
He`s doing Stand Up Comedy now? https://t.co/gYD0VoFwQf
— #excluded=ToryWipeout (@ChrisPDuck) July 23, 2024
Jimmy Cleverly, appearing on ' Live at the Apollo' next week: https://t.co/iDX3qZE0Ce
— Qwertyco ???????? (@Qwertyco) July 23, 2024
Is @JamesCleverly lining up a post-ministerial career in comedy?https://t.co/qicodsh6Y1
— LittleGravitas ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? #FBPE (@LittleGravitas) July 23, 2024
The master of deadpan humour ….. he really needs one of those Men in Black flashlights for this to work doesn’t he ???? https://t.co/V7G1Mk818i
— Neild (@Hadenwoof) July 23, 2024
...while some critics recalled the Tories’ most controversial policies, including Rwanda....
£10 billion slated for the Rwanda scheme when they also voted not to feed vulnerable kids during the pandemic https://t.co/hZdnb1W8rE
— Toby Earle ???????? Threads tobyontv (@TobyonTV) July 23, 2024
... austerity and the lockdown breaches....
After fourteen years of corruption and chaos
— Trevor McArdle (@McardleTrevor) July 23, 2024
The destruction of our services and social infrastructure
Of austerity
Of Brexit
Of continuous lawbreaking
& lying on an industrial scale
Including to Parliament & the Queen
James Cleverly actually said this with a straight face https://t.co/x0iJ0HHcxs
...and a handful of users asked when the Tories would learn.
They have learned NOTHING. And they will be out of power until they do. https://t.co/r3OwbNboSp
— Paola Thomas #FBPE ???????????????????????? (@realpaolathomas) July 23, 2024
Cleverly used the same interview to claim said Labour has had a “catastrophic start” to government in scrapping the Rwanda scheme.
He also alleged that Labour’s claim that the government had already spent £700m on the Rwanda scheme was a “made-up number”.
Sky presenter Kay Burley reminded him that “nobody was sent there” in the end, they did not the election and that “people didn’t like your policies”.
But he claimed Labour “didn’t even have the good grace to inform Rwanda directly” – although Burley said Labour had been making it clear prior to the election that this was their plan.
