Newspapers Focus On Conservative Leadership Contest

The Conservative Party leadership bids by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip Boris Johnson have received wide press coverage over the last few weeks.

From the initial leadership rounds a lot of attention has been given to Boris Johnson, the current favourite, and what his plans are around Brexit. There has also been a focus on Mr Johnson’s relationship with his girlfriend, following The Guardian’s scoop when the police were called to their home after a row.

Some papers have since questioned the origins of a recent photograph of the couple in the Sussex countryside, released after the police visit. 

 

Writing in The Times this week, Jeremy Hunt addressed Mr Johnson’s decision to pull out of the Sky News debate, calling on him to submit to scrutiny.

Mr Hunt also exclusively revealed the launch of his leadership bid in the Farnham Herald. Daniel Gee, head of content at the Herald, said: “We’ve received some lovely comments on Twitter highlighting the value of the local press, the pick of the bunch coming from ITV Meridian news editor Adam Clark, who tweeted: ‘SCOOP. This is why local newspapers are still so important. They lead. We all follow.’”

 

Following a series of hustings events Conservative Party members will cast their votes, with the new party leader due to be announced the week beginning 22 July.

Images courtesy of NLA Clipshare.