Tory leadership election 2022: All the campaign videos from best to worst

Another election to find the next leader of the Conservative Party – and thus, our new prime minister – is upon us, and with that comes the silliest and most nauseatingly patriotic campaign videos we’ve ever seen.

At the time of writing, 11 Tory MPs have put their name forward to succeed Boris Johnson, who announced his resignation last week after a mass ministerial walkout and yet another scandal rocked his premiership.

It’s understood that members of the 1922 Committee – the group representing backbench Conservative MPs who recently oversaw a confidence vote on Mr Johnson’s leadership – will outline a timetable for the contest this week.

The current rules state candidates need eight nominations from MPs to participate, 18 votes (5 per cent) in the first round and then 36 votes (10 per cent) in the second round.

Rounds of voting will then continue until it’s whittled down to two candidates – a process which is expected to conclude by 21 July. However, there has been talk that the threshold could be raised for each round in order to reduce the number of candidates.

The final pair will then face a vote from the Conservative Party membership.

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Until then, allow us to give you an overview of the campaign videos – from the best (if that exists) to the very worst.

Rishi Sunak

Looking like an advert for a funeral firm, Rishi Sunak was first to release a campaign video in the form of him addressing the camera in a black suit, against a black background.

Still, mourning the death of Boris Johnson’s political career, I see, Rishi?

The almost three-minute-long video sees him talk about his family coming to Britain in search of a new life.

It would be a moving tale if he wasn’t part of a government which sought to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

It’s clear he’s reading from an autocue, too, so all in all, he’s nailed the image of the Conservative Party being robotic, emotionless and devoid of colour.

Bravo, Rishi.

Score: 8/10

Penny Mordaunt

The ex-defence secretary has certainly had the most dramatic of campaign video launches, as it was hit with controversy just hours after it was posted on social media.

Paralympian Jonnie Peacock responded to request that he was removed from the video, people pointed out that police officers must be seen as politically impartial, and there was even a clip of convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius featured in the promo, too.

Good lord.

Complete with patriotic music and a posh voiceover, it certainly looks the part – until Ms Mordaunt has to go and ruin it with a remark that the leadership “needs to become a little less about the leader and a lot more about the ship”.

What the hell is that?

Let’s just hope the ship you have in mind isn’t the Titanic.

We’d ask why Ms Mordaunt decided to go for such a ridiculous line, but then again, it is natural for a Conservative to self-sabotage.

So it’s pretty on-brand, to be honest.

Score: 5/10

Sajid Javid

“The three things that have helped me get where I am today are public services, hard work, and the encouragement and support of my family,” said the former health secretary in his campaign video shared on Sunday.

Bit awkward, then, that he hasn’t put in any hard work here and has instead decided to repost the same video he had made for his leadership campaign in 2019.

In a tweet accompanying the video, he wrote: “I don’t have a fancy new video. So here’s one I made earlier…”

Alright, Saj, you’re not on Blue Peter.

The only credit we’re giving him is that the video starts with a dog – that is all.

Score: 2/10

Grant Shapps

Lasting just 13 seconds, transport secretary Grant Shapps decided to go short and sweet with his campaign video.

“My case for leadership is simple: I can plan, I can deliver, I can communicate, I can campaign. I can help you win your seat,” he said.

That’s it.

In fairness, it sums him up well: short, unremarkable, and instantly forgettable. Top marks.

Score: 7/10

Liz Truss

After teasing a bid for the top job for quite some time now, the current foreign secretary confirmed she was standing on Sunday, and then released her campaign video a day later.

“I have a clear vision for our country and economy – and the experience and resolve to deliver it,” she wrote, saying in the video itself that her party needs to “deliver, deliver and deliver for the British people”.

Sounds like a postman with repetitive strain injury than an effective government, Liz.

There’s also a disappointing lack of pork markets in the video, too.

Score: 5/10

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