Gavin Barwell, a former Conservative minister and chief of staff to Theresa May, has lost the party whip amid claims of a purge of centrist Tories, which the party denies. Barwell said the decision suggested an 'intolerance of criticism' from leader Kemi Badenoch, who has warned that supporters of net zero targets are no longer welcome in the party.
Barwell's removal and reaction
Barwell, who served as an MP and minister before becoming May's chief of staff, learned of his expulsion when someone forwarded him a Daily Mail article. He believes the decision was triggered by his criticism of Badenoch on X over her mistrust of Tories who back net zero targets, though he noted he had also praised her on other occasions.
Writing on LinkedIn, Barwell said: 'When I do criticise her, it is because I want her to succeed, not because I want to undermine her. She is doing a great job of holding this government to account and her personal ratings have improved accordingly, but that hasn’t led to an improvement in the party’s opinion poll ratings. That tells you that her message isn’t quite right.'
Badenoch's stance and party direction
During her leadership, Badenoch has repeatedly pushed the Conservatives further to the right. In a Telegraph article last week, she wrote that Conservatives who support net zero targets or oppose leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) are 'not serious' and no longer welcome in the party.
Barwell said he believed none of the other Tory leaders he served under, from John Major to Theresa May, would have taken such a decision. He added: 'The best leaders are those who welcome different voices, not letting unfair attacks bother them but acknowledging and learning from valid criticism.'
Party denial and conduct issues
A Conservative source denied that Barwell was purged for ideological reasons, calling speculation about targeting other centrist Tories 'complete rubbish'. The source said Barwell lost the whip for wider conduct problems, pointing to a letter from Susan Williams, the Conservative chief whip in the Lords.
The letter, seen by the Guardian, told Barwell he would not resume the whip after a leave of absence because he had not met with Williams despite being asked, and due to 'a series of public statements directed against both the leader of the opposition and the Conservative party'. It stated: 'Robust debate and differences of opinion have always been part of our party’s tradition. However, there is an important distinction between disagreement and conduct that undermines the discipline and mutual respect upon which any serious political party depends.'
Broader context
An article on ConservativeHome on Tuesday called for Badenoch to distance the party from members of Prosper UK, a centrist Tory grouping led by Ruth Davidson and Andy Street. Barwell's removal has sparked debate about the party's direction under Badenoch, with Barwell warning that her message risks alienating centre-right voters.
