Wednesday, October 19, 2005
More on the Tories
The second ballot for the Tory leadership is intriguing mainly now for whether the second place candidate stands down to allow Cameron to enjoy a 'coronation'. That this seems possible is quite a 'revolution'for the Tories. The second place man is bound to be a rightwinger: Fox or Davis. harking back to 2001, when IDS beat Clarke 2-1, the Etonian would have needed to win by a mile and a half to deter either Fox or Davis appealing to a membership who would respond to their rightwing stances on tax, crime and Europe.
Now, however, it seems attitudes in the party have changed. Despite their rightwing headbanging views Tories have realised they can't win without a 'winner' even if they disagree with his views. Some 60% of party members now support Cameron and only 15% Davis. So it could well be a 'coronation' but Davis, is such an ambitious sort of guy I wouldn't be surprised if he insists on hanging in and going the full course.
Having said all that, it is significant that Cameron has been clever to toughen up his position on Europe, promising to remove Conservative MEPs from their present rightwing grouping even though it includes the CDU, the party of Angela Merkel, the new German Chancellor.But the 'Blairite' bandwagon of the MP for Witney seems unstoppable now.
Now, however, it seems attitudes in the party have changed. Despite their rightwing headbanging views Tories have realised they can't win without a 'winner' even if they disagree with his views. Some 60% of party members now support Cameron and only 15% Davis. So it could well be a 'coronation' but Davis, is such an ambitious sort of guy I wouldn't be surprised if he insists on hanging in and going the full course.
Having said all that, it is significant that Cameron has been clever to toughen up his position on Europe, promising to remove Conservative MEPs from their present rightwing grouping even though it includes the CDU, the party of Angela Merkel, the new German Chancellor.But the 'Blairite' bandwagon of the MP for Witney seems unstoppable now.
