NEW Tory Party chairman Greg Hands said his taxes are up to date and has insisted that the Conservative Party is in good shape, though local elections will be “difficult”.
He told GB News: “Everybody’s in good shape. Actually membership is increasing, our financial position is improving. The party is in a good position.
“We’ve obviously got important local elections this year and we’ve got a general election to look forward to next year. So, there’s plenty to do.
On his taxes he added: “I am fully up to date with all of my taxes and no problem there at all.”
In a discussion during Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster, he denied that his new job was a poisoned chalice.
“I don’t think that is the case. I think the time taken was to do the wider reshuffle, you’ll have seen that Rishi has created a couple of new government departments to bring a sharper focus to the
Government on things like energy security and on science and technology, and making sure his five priorities are seen through.
“I’m really looking forward to doing this job. You know, it’s a fantastic opportunity to be chairman of the Conservative Party.
“I’ve been a member of the party for 37 years, I’ve served the party at many different levels.”
Asked if new Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson was a divisive figure, Mr Hands said: “ I think Lee is a fantastic asset for the Conservative Party.
“We’ve got a great team at conservative headquarters, a really fantastic team of staff all dedicated to making sure that Rishi Sunak wins next year’s general election.”
Asked by Eamonn Holmes if the party was preparing for a drubbing in May’s local elections, he said: “It’s not a secret to say that this year’s local elections will be a difficult set of local elections for the party.
“But the important thing is that we do as well as we can and set the platform for a general election next year. Obviously, local elections this year will also be fought on local issues.
“There’s an interesting set of the country that’s up for local elections as well as a few directly elected mayors as well, so it will be an interesting contest this year.
“But our main focus is going to be on making sure we’ve got everything in place to win next year’s general election to take on an unreformed Labour Party that lurks behind sir Keir Starmer.
“I think 160 Labour MPs out on picket lines last week, this sort of thing that we need to bring to the British people that the Labour Party under Kier, Starmer is an unreformed party that is still very much characterised by the people that Jeremy Corbyn put in place.”
