'Sketchy': PCs react to party exec coronation

Also: Ford's post-election honeymoon is over, Stiles is in, Grits' campaign contravention, Christmas for fiscal wonks, privatizing welfare work

ABOVE THE FOLD

Fresh polling data suggests Premier DOUG FORD’s post-election honeymoon is over and NDPer MARIT STILES officially becomes the first out of the gate for leader — but first, PCs are buzzing about our scoop on the party’s new executive slate.

PARTY FOUL — Longtime Tory strategist MICHAEL DIAMOND is set to take the helm of the PC Party as president, along with his entire executive slate, as they’re running unopposed in the election that will take place at October’s convention. We published the full roster in yesterday’s edition.

Some PC members were surprised to hear there were no challengers, and party sources tell us Diamond had the blessing from Premier DOUG FORD himself, giving him a leg-up.

Other members raised concerns that the party went about the process “quietly” to tightly control the outcome — including delegate selection, in which each riding nominates people to go to the convention and vote for the exec — lest their be a repeat of 2018. That’s when ex-Tory-now-…