Conservative leadership: Who supports whom?

What are tory tribes?

The Brexiteers

Brexit-supporting MPs on the right of the party overwhelmingly backed Ms Truss in the latest leadership contest. Until now, the Eurosceptics who supported her – including Michael Fabricant and Andrea Jenkyns – have rowed behind Mr Johnson.

As well as supporting leaving the EU, many Brexiteers have strong views on issues including illegal migration and the culture wars.

The European Research Group of Eurosceptic MPs had 35 members in 2020-21, according to parliamentary records, although it has many more supporters in the party. Mark Francois, the chairman, has backed Ms Truss but has not yet announced who he will back this time.

One Nationers

The largest group within the Tory party, the One Nation caucus, is made up of more than 100 MPs, mostly in the center of the party.

It is led by Damian Collins, the former deputy prime minister who backed Rishi Sunak in the leadership contest last summer. Other great beasts in the books are Robert Buckland, the Welsh Secretary; Matt Hancock, former Health Secretary; Chloe Smith, current Minister for Work and Pensions; and Tom Tugendhat, Minister of Security.

Many members of the group were involved in the removal of Mr. Johnson and then supported Mr. Sunaka.

Red Wallers

A new batch of Conservative MPs elected to ‘Red Wall’ seats across the North and Midlands owed their political careers to Mr Johnson. They were elected in 2019. They were led by Jake Berry, chairman of the Northern Research Group, and were particularly focused on ensuring that the leveling plan was met.

Notable ‘Red Wallers’ who have entered the race so far include Brendan Clarke-Smith, MP for Bassetlaw, who supports Mr Johnson, and Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, who supports Mr Sunak. There are 45 members of the Red Wall.

Blue Wallers

At the opposite end of the country are ‘blue wall’ MPs, so called because they sit in normally safe Tory seats that are under threat from the Lib Dems.

The ‘Blue Wall’ stretches across parts of the home counties and the South West and includes some of the party’s biggest beasts, including cabinet ministers.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Business Secretary; Dominic Raab, former Deputy Prime Minister; and Steve Baker, the Northern Ireland minister, all have such constituencies. There are around 40 Tory MPs in the Blue Wall seats.