MEL STRIDE: I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING RUNNING TO BECOME NEXT TORY LEADER

MEL STRIDE has revealed is seriously considering running to be the next leader of the Conservatives.
Speaking to Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello on GBNews, Mr Stride said of the upcoming leadership race: “I haven’t ruled that out and I haven’t ruled it in. We don’t yet know what the contest holds. The party board is going to come forward shortly, I think, with the process. And I will finally make a decision at that time. Some colleagues have been speaking to me about that possibility and it’s something that I’m weighing up.”
Asked if it is something that he’s seriously considering, he said: “Well, yes, in the sense that I do think the party needs to be brought together. I think the Parliamentary party needs to unite. I think that’s the first base on what will be quite a long road to regaining our position, as well building trust and a sense of competence with the British electorate. And I think that we need to have the right person to do that. But as I say, there are many very good candidates who have already effectively announced and I’ll be taking my decision fairly shortly.
Meanwhile Mr Stride also blasted the Government’s decision to scrap the Rwanda scheme without taking the decision to Parliament.
He said: “The reason why it’s a waste of money and resources is the fact that we’ve had a change of government and this government, in fact, without even going to Parliament about it has decided to scrap the entire scheme. But what we know very clearly is that what’s required to stop small boats and people sadly perishing in those cold dark waters of the channel is to have an effective deterrent. Now we saw it in the agreement we have with Albania. The returns agreement once that was in place, there was over 90% reduction in Albanians coming to our shores. Even the mere thought of the Rwanda scheme meant that people were delaying their journey over from the continent.”