Are the Knives out for Welsh Tory Leader?

The Conservatives need "strong leadership in the assembly", the party's new chairman in Wales has said.

Does that mean that the Party is dissatisfied with their current leader Andrew RT Davies.

Byron Davies is a former MP, having won Gower in 2015 before losing it in June.

In his first comments as chairman, Mr Davies suggested that the Welsh Conservatives do not need further autonomy from party bosses in London.

Assembly group leader Andrew RT Davies has called for the Welsh Conservatives to have a designated leader able to make independent decisions.

Asked about the South Wales Central AM's comments, the new Welsh party chairman said: 

"The Welsh Conservatives have a very strong identity as being the Conservative party in Wales.
"I do not believe that we need any change.
"What we do need is strong leadership in the assembly, of the assembly group.
"Andrew and I will be meeting shortly - we've already been in touch with each other, and we'll be having a conversation around that."

During the last election in which Byron Davies lost his Gower seat the Tories in Wales were desperately trying to cobble together some  impression of unity after the debacle over who should have represented the party at a TV debate.

The BBC Wales Leaders' Debate programme featured leaders from each of the five main parties in Wales, with the exception of the Welsh Conservatives who submitted Darren  Millar, their policy director and health spokesman.


It was Theressa May  who launched The Welsh Conservatives launched their manifesto at Gressford'

Andrew R T Davies seems to be absent from the event though he dis contribute to a forward  with  Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns 

It was Mt Cairns who appeared on the BBC meet the leaders debate and I don't think I'm being biased in saying it didn't go well,

Mr Cairns told BBC Radio Wales that Mr Davies was "always down to do" the BBC  leaders debate, however but that Mr Davies "couldn't do it for personal reasons".

For many it looked like there was a row who the real leader of the Welsh Tories was.

It seems odd that when in Scotland the Tories in Scotland seem to have made a virtue of Ruth Davidson's leadership , the Tories in Wales are not seeking for their leader in their legislature  to promote a similar role.

Byron Davies view on Strong Leadership seems to be the Assembly leader obeying the Westminster Party.

Byron Davies has also previously criticised the decision to allow Mr Reckless - a former Conservative MP who defected to UKIP - into the Tory assembly group a decision made by Andrew RT Davies seemingly against the wishes of his London Bosses.

He reiterated to BBC Wales that he would not be "welcoming him back into the Conservative fold personally".

Many MPs and voluntary party members agree with him, he said, saying that Mr Reckless' membership of the group was a matter for Andrew RT Davies.

When questioned on whether he supported him as Conservative leader in the Senedd, the new chairman said: 

"At the moment he's the elected member by the assembly members and that's a matter for them."

But he added he did not want to build a "great wall" between himself and the assembly leader, saying they were "great friends".

Of course Brutus was "great friends". with Julius Caesar and that ended well.