And if One Green Bottle...

I read in the Daily Mail this morning an article that said that Edward Leigh is chairman of the Cornerstone Group of more than 40 Conservative MPs. 'I'm sure there aren't 40 now', I thought to myself. So I went to check on the Cornerstone 'Rogues' Gallery' HERE. Indeed, it seems that Cornerstone now has a mere 28 members. Several have joined the ranks of the 'disappeared'. Robert Goodwill, who used to be a member - disappeared. Angela Watkinson - disappeared. Andrew Selous - disappeared. Can anyone identify the rest? Who will be next? I understand there will be another high profile disappearance in the coming weeks. The party bigwigs are said to be none too enthusiastic about frontbenchers being members of Cornerstone.

Cornerstone Launches Blog

I bring joyous news. To coincide with the relaunch of Hammer Horror Films, the Tombstone Cornerstone Group has launched a blog HERE. I feel I shall need to keep a close eye on this welcome venture and report back from time to time.

Cornerstone 'Leader' Attacks Cameron

Maybe rumours of their demise are exaggerated, but when ConservativeHome starts speculating about splits in the Cornerstone Group (who I affectionately call 'Tombstone') you know there's trouble at t'mill. Edward Leigh's article in the House Magazine, where he has a right old go at David Cameron, seems to position Cornerstone at the headbanging fringes of the Party. It's so deliciously ironic that most of their thirty five strong members actually voted for David Cameron. The ConservativeHome article concludes with these words...

The Cornerstone group is not necessarily united in its concerns about Project
Cameron, however. One member of the group resigned last week and
Cornerstone's co-founder - John Hayes MP - is known to be much more
favourable to the party's direction.

I understand that the MP who has resigned from Cornerstone is Andrew Selous. I also hear that there are disagreements between John Hayes and Edward Leigh over the future direction of Cornerstone and that Hayes is increasingly fed up with Leigh being described in the media as the group's "leader". Their next meeting up at Highgate cemetery should be a joy to behold. I gather it's a dress down event. No uniforms necessary...

Footnote: Last week Nadine Dorries MP outed herself on her blog as a member of Cornerstone. What timing!