Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Britain's Conservatives oust leader, try to avoid battle over replacement
Associated Press ^ | 10-29-03

Posted on 10/29/2003 1:14:12 PM PST by Brian S

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:44:36 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Lawmakers in Britain's opposition Conservative Party ousted their leader Iain Duncan Smith in a no-confidence vote Wednesday, and party leaders began to unite around a possible successor in hopes of averting a fractious leadership battle.

Former Cabinet minister Michael Howard emerged as a favorite replacement when another possible contender, former party chairman David Davis, said he would not seek the leadership and promised his support to Howard.


(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: iainduncansmith
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 10/29/2003 1:14:12 PM PST by Brian S
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Brian S
bring back john majors!
2 posted on 10/29/2003 1:16:30 PM PST by Pikamax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brian S
...supported a Tory lawmaker who disclosed he was gay, and sought to make the party more inclusive by attracting more women, ethnic minorities and young people. - bad Iain

he failed to land punches even when Blair was on the ropes over the unpopular war in Iraq - good Iain

3 posted on 10/29/2003 1:20:31 PM PST by Free_at_last_-2001 (is clinton in jail yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brian S
Duncan Smith, the 49-year-old son of a World War II fighter pilot and a ballerina

Whew, for a moment there I thought they meant "son of a World War II fighter pilot, and a ballerina."

4 posted on 10/29/2003 1:20:53 PM PST by struwwelpeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
The situation the Consevative Party finds itself in is partially due to John Major. Bring back the Iron Lady! ;-)
5 posted on 10/29/2003 1:21:34 PM PST by Pyro7480 (“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid" - Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
Disband the Tory party. Start a new party based on conservative principles, individual liberty, and decentralized government, not on social class.
6 posted on 10/29/2003 1:22:21 PM PST by proxy_user
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: struwwelpeter
LOL.
7 posted on 10/29/2003 1:27:35 PM PST by Zack Nguyen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: proxy_user
That new party would be lucky to get 10% of the vote in Britain or any other European country.
8 posted on 10/29/2003 1:31:44 PM PST by You Dirty Rats
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: MadIvan
What's your take here, Ivan?
9 posted on 10/29/2003 2:01:17 PM PST by TheBigB (I respectfully decline the invitation to join your hallucination. But thanks for asking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: You Dirty Rats
Start a new party based on conservative principles, individual liberty, and decentralized government, not on social class

That new party would be lucky to get 10% of the vote in Britain or any other European country.

Margaret Thatcher, shopkeeper's daughter, attracted over 50% of the votes.

Britain needs a leader who can persuade the populace of the merits of these principles.

You may be trapped in Arnold-think.

10 posted on 10/29/2003 2:12:07 PM PST by Praxeologue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: struwwelpeter
He might as well have been a ballerina as Tory leader for all the good he's done.
11 posted on 10/29/2003 2:23:30 PM PST by headsonpikes (Spirit of '76 bttt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480
Bring back the Iron Lady! ;-)

Unfortunately she is not well.

12 posted on 10/29/2003 3:27:01 PM PST by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: struwwelpeter
Whew, for a moment there I thought they meant "son of a World War II fighter pilot, and a ballerina."

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK.."

13 posted on 10/29/2003 3:58:19 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Brian S; MadIvan
I vote for MadIvan as the new Tory Leader.
14 posted on 10/29/2003 4:00:40 PM PST by RobFromGa (The Peace Dividend is the gift that keeps on giving...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
bring back john (sic) majors!

No offense, but why?
15 posted on 10/29/2003 4:31:41 PM PST by dr_who_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: proxy_user
Margaret Thatcher came from a middle class background. So did John Major, if I recall correctly.
16 posted on 10/29/2003 4:33:04 PM PST by dr_who_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
John Major is probably the only leader in world history to lose an election with such a fantastic economy. (though, in his defense, I supposed 18 years of rule by one party was a factor)
17 posted on 10/29/2003 6:43:31 PM PST by nickcarraway (www.terrisfight.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Brian S
Would love to see a picture of his replacement. I hope he has hair. It was impossible for Smith because he's not telegenic. Blair photographs well, is tall with a great head of hair and big smile, and he made Smith look like an aging nerd by comparison. In a time when movie stars are winning elections and style is winning over substance (particularly in star-struck Diana-lovin' UK), the conservatives need to find someone with a little sex/youth appeal.

Sadly, people don't want to listen to what you have to say if they don't want to look at you. I've talked to many very frustrated conservatives in UK and many of them don't even understand how much more personal and economic freedom they would have if they could break the chains of entrenched socialism. BBC has little competition so "fair and balanced" alternative ideas don't seem to get presented to the people for discussion. There is no Rush Limbaugh or talk radio over there, which makes me wonder if anything will change until they have some sort of groundswell grassroots movement. Which media would feed this movement, with tv so limited and radio nonexistent, I cannot imagine. Back to pamphlets and tabloids?

18 posted on 10/29/2003 6:53:38 PM PST by MHT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MHT
"Would love to see a picture of his replacement. I hope he has hair. It was impossible for Smith because he's not telegenic. Blair photographs well, is tall with a great head of hair and big smile, and he made Smith look like an aging nerd by comparison."
There's a theory that labour controls the tories to explain this. That would also explain why Hague (the previous leader) came out with a story about drinking 10 pints of beer a day when he was younger, before the last elections ...
Another version of the same theory is that
- someone else (it would have to be a secret society in that case) controls both the government's party and the leadership of the opposition in the EU countries (Labour and Tories, SPD and CDU in Germany, Chirac and the Socialist Party in France and so on).
- since it's essential to create a sense of stability in these troubled times, they have on the agenda now reelecting the current goverments.
19 posted on 10/29/2003 7:18:58 PM PST by Truth666
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Brian S
Iain Duncan Smith was a man of principle, and I respected that, but he had as much charisma as a wet dish rag.

Consequently, the guy they want to replace him with [Michael Howard] also has the charm of said dish rag.

When the Iron Lady left, apparently she took all the voter appeal with her.
20 posted on 10/29/2003 7:27:24 PM PST by GiveEmDubya
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson