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2005-05-07 Britain

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Posted by Fred 2005-05-07 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This will make our UK cousins happy, right? From my limited knowledge, it seems apparent that the Tories have completely mangled their message and Howard is about as marketable to the UK public as a PM as your average leper... with AIDS and SARS. Is that accurate?

Is there anyone in the Tory party with the requirements (experience, savvy, presence, integrity, name recognition, internal support, etc) to lead and make them viable?

Posted by .com 2005-05-07 00:59|| 2005-05-07 00:59|| Front Page Top

#2 Is there anyone in the Tory party with the requirements (experience, savvy, presence, integrity, name recognition, internal support, etc) to lead and make them viable?

At the rate they're going through candidates, the answer would appear to be no. But then, during the Clinton years whom did the Republicans have who appeared destined to replace him? After Gordon Brown takes the helm and returns to true Labour policies, a Tory leader will emerge. Necessity is the mother of acceptance.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-05-07 06:32|| 2005-05-07 06:32|| Front Page Top

#3 Michael Heseltine (a fellow veteran from the Thatcher cabinets) has called on Howard to wait a year and a half before stepping down, IIUC. That's not a bad idea - another rushed leadership contest isn't what the Tories need right now.

My prefered choice would be Liam Fox - he's young, sensible and has considerably more charisma than the average Tory. David Davis is bookies' favourite on the other hand. He may be a good choice, but comes across as somewhat posh and aloof - he lacks the common touch, just as Howard did. Blair's perceived approachability has always been the key to his success.

Fair warning though - I thought the disastrous Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative leader 2001 - 2003) looked promising, too.

Howard is about as marketable to the UK public as a PM as your average leper...

True. Who knows how much better the Tories couls have done with a more personable leader? A better figurehead would have added a significant percentage to the Tories' vote. Howard does come across as weird, to be blunt - he talks funny (he's from Wales) and has a disconcertingly smug smile. And he runs (as seen once or twice when canvassing) like a (Monty) Python. Perhaps it's easy to overlook his positive characteristics - most important of which being he succeeded in uniting the Tory party behind him, even if in the latter stages of the campaign there were mutterings about his campaign strategy. His focus on immigration no doubt lost at least as many votes as it gained for the party.

Posted by Bulldog ">Bulldog 2005-05-07 07:14|| 2005-05-07 07:14|| Front Page Top

#4 Howard does come across as weird, to be blunt - he talks funny (he's from Wales) and has a disconcertingly smug smile. And he runs (as seen once or twice when canvassing) like a (Monty) Python.

LOL! Now Ima start to like the guy.

Posted by Shipman 2005-05-07 09:21|| 2005-05-07 09:21|| Front Page Top

#5 Time to bring back Michael Portillo? How about Boris Johnson [even with all his pecadillio baggage of recent times]. At least these guys will make the Tories interesting to the chattering class.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2005-05-07 10:43|| 2005-05-07 10:43|| Front Page Top

#6 How about some focus on message too? The Tories seem like Labour lite, especially after the triangulation job Tony has done. That's the great opportunity with Gordo coming in to look like old time Labour. I hate to agree with Heseltine, but he's correct.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-05-07 11:02|| 2005-05-07 11:02|| Front Page Top

#7 The Tories need an ideological revamping more than any PR makeover. In that sense, their situation is closer to the Democrats of today than the Repubs of the '90s.

Posted by someone 2005-05-07 13:57|| 2005-05-07 13:57|| Front Page Top

#8 Boris Johnson , just for the comedy value of stuttering along at prime ministers question time . Plus , I quite like the chap really ..
Just a humble opinion . The problems the Tories face is the legacy the good ol' Maggie left , and she's one mean pair of shoes to fill .

Posted by MacNails 2005-05-07 14:03|| 2005-05-07 14:03|| Front Page Top

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