Graham Brady urges Tories to thrash out differences in private

The chairman of the 1922 Committee said disputes should ideally be solved behind the scenes to save ‘friction and division’.

Sir Graham Brady has asked for Tory MPs to air their concerns in private (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

A senior Tory has urged his colleagues to thrash out their differences in private rather than taking to the Commons to rebel.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, said disputes should ideally be solved behind the scenes to save “friction and division”.

His comments come after Rishi Sunak was forced into two climbdowns in the face of mass Tory revolts on onshore wind and house-building targets.

Sir Graham said ministers should hear of concerns through backbench channels.

The more we can do that behind-the-scenes debate and agreement, the less friction and division there’ll be

Sir Graham Brady, Tory MP

“I think the objective should be to have those debates as much as possible privately and arrive at a position on which the party is agreed,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour.

“It’s far better than doing that on the floor of the House of Commons through amendments.

“Some of the dull but crucially important things – the backbench committees that the 1922 Committee elects to look after each significant department of state – they should be the conduit through which the departmental ministers hear from parliamentary colleagues with a particular interest in that area of policy.

“And the more we can do that behind-the-scenes debate and agreement, the less friction and division there’ll be.”

Sir Graham described the current mood in the party as “very serious”, with Tories acutely aware of the fact there has been more “turmoil” than hoped for in recent times.

“I would counsel my colleagues to remain calm and to continue to work hard and do their best for their constituents, and the Government will continue to do its best for the country,” he said.

“And that is the way you go on to win general elections.”

The 1922 chairman also confirmed that Boris Johnson did indeed meet the threshold of 100 nominations needed to stand again as Tory leader following Liz Truss’s downfall.

The former PM dramatically dropped out of the race after flying back from a holiday in the Caribbean to plot a fresh bid – claiming he had the numbers but admitting he could not unite the party.

Sir Graham said: “His team asked us to verify that, he had, I think, 110.”