Senior UCP member calls for early leadership review of Premier Jason Kenney
A senior United Conservative Party member has called for an emergency meeting to discuss an early leadership review of Premier Jason Kenney.
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When reached by phone Saturday, Mullan confirmed he wrote the email but declined to comment further, saying he is “not at liberty to discuss matters before the board.”
Political scientist Duane Bratt said this is a sign Kenney is in trouble, but he hasn’t realized it yet.
“I think Kenney thinks he can survive, but I’m not hearing much of that from other people, including conservatives who I have been talking to, they go, ‘He needs to step down for the good of the party.’ They’re just not willing to push him out.”
With senior party membership indicating there should be a leadership review, Bratt said the UCP has realized they cannot go into an election with Kenney at the helm.
“They’re looking out for their own political survival,” Bratt said.
“I don’t think it matters if they change leaders, the UCP is still in trouble. But I think there’s enough UCPers that believe all they have to do is change leaders, the way it worked for the PC (Progressive Conservatives). They would change leaders, and they would just move on and win another election. I’m not sure this is the same circumstance.”
Currently, a leadership review for Kenney is scheduled to occur at the party’s Annual General Meeting in 2022.
Postmedia has reached out to Kenney’s office but has not received a comment.