'Unlikely' there'll be a contest to replace Andrew RT Davies as Welsh conservatives leader

It seems increasingly unlikely that there’ll be a contest to replace Andrew RT Davies as leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, with momentum swinging behind the only declared candidate, Darren Millar.

Nominations close at 5pm tomorrow. If no other candidate emerges, Mr Millar will become the next leader. If there are more than two candidates, Tory Senedd Members will whittle the field down to two with the final say lying with the party’s wider membership here in Wales.

Andrew RT Davies announced his resignation from the top job on Tuesday following a confidence vote. He won that vote but acknowledged that the group was split and that his position was untenable.

So far only Darren Millar has put his name forward. He needs nominations from three MSs in order to be a candidate and so far has won the public support of 11.

Paul Davies, Gareth Davies, Janet Finch-Saunders, Peter Fox, Russell George, Tom Gifford, James Evans Altaf Hussein, Joel James and Samuel Kurtz, have all said that they’re backing Mr Millar.

I understand that the outgoing leader has also nominated him.

It’s technically still possible for another candidate to emerge but so far no-one has put their name forward.

A coronation could be seen by senior figures in the party as a way of uniting the divided group.

But it’s likely to go down badly with grassroots members. Several have told me in the last 24 hours that there should be a contest in order to allow a debate about the direction of the party here in Wales.

Some of those are already angry about the group’s move to oust Mr Davies. One who asked to remain anonymous told me that “Many of us now question our future in the Welsh Conservatives. We were on a death spiral anyhow - we are now seemingly heading into the political abyss. Reform can't believe their luck. Members are absolutely furious."

The longstanding Conservative councillor in Newport, David Fouweather, told me that the party's Senedd group has "lost touch with the membership".

"A significant number of members want the opportunity to set party policy, certainly around whether we want to continue with devolution. If Reform were to harness that policy they would do significant damage.”

By 5pm on 5 December, we will whether there will be a contest or a coronation.

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