By tradition, every Tory Party leader is offered honorary membership for life of the Carlton Club, the St James’s institution founded by the Duke of Wellington in 1832 which describes itself as “the oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs.”
But 10 weeks after seizing control of her party and the country, Mrs May shows no sign of falling into line with this convention.
A club spokesman was sensitive when Heat Street asked if the new PM had become a member, snapping: “What business is it of yours?”
A well-connected club regular we’ve spoken to says there has been no talk in the bar of May’s imminent unveiling as the new jewel in the Carlton’s crown.
And a Downing Street spokesman said he knew nothing about the matter but would find out. Twenty four hours later, there’s been no reply.
The Tory Party had a strained relationship with the Carlton at the start of the century because of its refusal to allow women members. Then-leader Iain Duncan Smith refused to join in 2001 because of this. His successor, David Cameron, also declined to take up membership until after the rules were changed in 2008 to allow both sexes to become members.
May is known to have taken a very dim view of this exclusion policy at the time but has said little about the Carlton since.
In a 2011 interview she was asked whether her ideal night out would be at Stringfellows or the Carlton. She replied: “Oh come on! I’ve got, I’ve got” – laughter – “objections to Stringfellows as the Minister for Women and Equalities, and I’m afraid the Carlton Club, hmm. My night out would be with my husband, wherever he chose to take me.”
Hardly a ringing endorsement.
PM Theresa May: We will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few but for every one of us.https://t.co/pSGEr3Wkxh
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) July 13, 2016
May does belong to two clubs, according to her Who’s Who entry: Maidenhead Conservative club; and the Leander, a rowing club in Oxfordshire.
But since her arrival at Downing Street on July 13, she has made it her mission to promote equality for all in every sphere of life and to restore the ambition of meritocracy to the Tories after the Notting Hill set years.
It could easily turn out to be the case that she believes associating herself with the “most elite of all Conservative clubs” would shatter that philosophy and do nothing but invite criticism.
