CONSERVATIVES DENY PURGE AS LORD BARWELL LOSES PARTY WHIP

The Conservative Party has denied it is purging centrist members after Gavin Barwell lost the party whip. Lord Barwell, a former MP and minister who served as Theresa May's chief of staff, said he learned of the decision when someone forwarded him a Daily Mail article. He stated he believed the removal followed his criticism of party leader Kemi Badenoch on social media. A Conservative source attributed the decision to problems with conduct rather than policy disagreement.

Badenoch has stated during her leadership that Conservative supporters of net zero targets or opposition to leaving the European convention on human rights are not welcome in the party. Lord Barwell posted criticism of this position on X, though he said he had also praised Badenoch on other occasions. He wrote that his criticism was intended to help her succeed and pointed out that her personal approval ratings had improved whilst the party's opinion poll ratings had not. Barwell suggested that millions of centre-right voters supported Badenoch's economic message but were deterred by some of her other positions.

Barwell stated the removal of the whip indicated an "intolerance of criticism" and said that previous Conservative leaders he served under, including John Major and Theresa May, would not have made such a decision. He argued that successful leaders welcome different voices and learn from valid criticism. Barwell called for Badenoch to build broad support within the party and encourage healthy debate about strategy.