Is Jeremy Hunt the next Tory leader?

I couldn’t believe that as sharp a commentator as Matthew d’Ancona could have suggested such a thing, and was relieved to see that the Conservative Home summary of his article for next month’s GQ does not predict anything quite so daring.

Although d’Ancona does say that Hunt is the “man to watch”. For someone who carries a surface plausibility but who finds himself goldfishing quite quickly under any sustained media scrutiny I would agree with that, but not necessarily for the reasons d’Ancona advances.

Number 359 in my series of Questions to Which the Answer is No.

(Number 358 was asked by Peter Watt, the former general secretary of the Labour Party: “Is John Rentoul the most prolific journo-blogger?” To which I reply that, inthis as in all things, I defer to Paul Waugh.)

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• http://bob-idle.livejournal.com/ bob idle

  Jeremy Hunt has an unfortunate name. But apart from that, it seems he has quite good credentials – apart from his Hillsborough blunder. But which conservative voters give two hoots about Liverpool football goings on?????

  Interesting that Rory Stewarts name has come up already, when he’s only been elected as an MP a few weeks ago. On a message to Ron Broxted many months ago, totally unnoticed by everyone else in the country, I suggested Rory Stewart might be a contender. He has friends in very high places, though apparently is very small in physical stature (but then, so they say, are the great Vladimir Putin and his successor Mr Medvedev) .

  I would put a bet (if I was to bet at all) on Stewart, though Hunt must also be a contender. Can’t understand why this blog is writing him off at this very early stage – apart from the potential for tabloid double entendres involving his name.

• http://twitter.com/Broxted Ciaran Rehill

  I think that my name is shibboleth here. Muchas gracias. Senor Rentoul would like the Mexican police they have a robust attitude to poverty like NuLabour actually. OK back to the mescal ahora.