New Tory leader

[InsaneApache]

Prolly only of interest to a few of the UK posters, but who do the organs think should get to be the new Conservative leader.

Having watched the speeches this week, I have to say that far and away the best (IMHO) is Cameron. He actually says things that I havn't heard for a decade or more. More democracy, less tax and he at least has the courage to grasp the education nettle and point out the nonsense of New Labours policies.

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do...400&speeches=1

Maybe the man for the job? Watch this space.......

[Duke Malcolm]

I agree, I think Cameron's speech was most interesting, mostly the fact that he performed the whole thing wandering about the stage and without notes. I have to say, I didn't see most of the speech, but of what I did see and of what I just read, I might just consider voting Conservative in the next General election... beautiful... especially the bit about why he joined the party... *sniff*

I think that Sir Malcolm Rifkind or Dr Liam Fox might perhaps be able to win over more Scottish votes in the next election to both Westminster and Holyrood, although I feel that Kenneth Clarke might give the party a slightly better chance with the voters overall.

[Adrian II]

[Geoffrey S]

Boris Johnson, right? That picture sums up my feelings on the Conservatives at the moment. They need to get some kind of common ground going rather than the internal bickering and divided opinions which permeate the party right now, if they want to look like a feasible alternative to Labour.

[BDC]

Cameron might go somewhere. But Clarke will win, dooming the country to four years of Brown. The Tories really need to pull the finger out. They are failing completely as the opposition. All they do is say the exact opposite as Labour, which never goes anywhere.

[English assassin]

As a paid up member of the party I can honestly say I couldn't care less who wins, as they are all terrible. Clarke should have won after 97, and is now too old. Fox is a moron even by the undemanding standards of UK politics. Cameron is a 30 something Old Etonian and I will go to hell in a handbasket before I think the country needs to be lead by one of those. Rifkind (is he standing?) is all right but ineffectual.

Although I am not on his wing of the party Davis seems to be the best of a bad lot. The old working class thug made good schtick has worked in the past after all.

But honestly I couldn't give a monkeys. This ought to be telling me something...

Incidentally I hope you were all impressed by the brilliant way the party got the worst possible result from the ballot to change the rules for electing the leader? A majority against the present rules, but not a big enough majority to change them. Superb. So we are stuck with a system in which Sid and Doris Bonkers (aged 87) elect the leader, but whose credibility is underminded by the fact that most sensible people didn't want it. (Having met Sid and Doris Bonkers I certainly don't.)

Mark my words this has gone from an unfortunate period and is looking like it could be terminal decline. Which is rather unfortunate as The Labour party is not nearly so centre right as Polly Mad in the Guardian pretends to believe. (see eg Gordon Brown being told off for running budget deficits by the IMF despite the economy being nowhere near recession)

[Duke Malcolm]

Oh, yes that thing about not changing how the leader is chosen... Surely anyone can see that it is better to have a leader that the MPs choose and can unite around rather than some random folk who will never meet the person.

Rifkind is standing, I believe.

[ShadesWolf]

It would be interesting to see what would happen if cameron won.
I personnally believe Bliar gets a lot of female votes due to him have a full head of hair and some sad women even fancy him (cant see why myself)

The last election was the worst female turnout for Conservatives since they got the vote. So what does that tell you.

Anyway it all depends on who the sun backs at the next election, as they tell the sad public who to vote, and the population follows. At the last election the tory shad some good ideas, but people just didnt believe them. Until the economy crashes, and it will, I cant see these lot being kicked out.

[lancelot]

Personally, I love Boris! They definately should get him back and put him in charge! That guy cracks me up!

There is something really funny about a guy who is sooooo posh he can barely speak!

Did you ever see him on 'Have I got news for you'? He was hilarious

[_Martyr_]

Yeah, I saw that one! Probably the funniest show on TV, and that was probably one of the funniest episodes!

[The_Doctor]

Boris! Boris! Boris!

If he got in, Liverpool would revolt and form its own country.

[BDC]

Boris! Boris! Boris!

If he got in, Liverpool would revolt and form its own country.

Go Boris then!

[King Henry V]

I'll drink to that. They could always join Ireland. Then there wouldn't be anymore of that rubbish Merseybeat on TV.

[The_Doctor]

Remember Liverpool was the "second city of the empire".

Then there wouldn't be anymore of that rubbish Merseybeat on TV.

Yes there would, only we would have to export it to you.

I have never seen it, so it must be bad.

[Geoffrey S]

Did you ever see him on 'Have I got news for you'? He was hilarious

'twas ace.

[InsaneApache]

Remember Liverpool was the "second city of the empire

I thought that was Glasgow

Anyway back on topic...

@ EA I personally couldn't give a rats arse where the leader of the Tories came from, as long as they manage to put up some sort of fight at the next election and not roll over for a fourth time. It hasn't hurt Bliar being a public, smarmy, schoolboy and it didn't help Howard coming from a lower social group than Bliar...

as Howard said..

"This grammar school boy is not going to take any lessons from that public school boy on the importance of children from less privileged backgrounds gaining access to university."

and I was impressed with Camerons speech, as KM said, done without notes and engaging his audience.

[econ21]

But Clarke will win, dooming the country to four years of Brown.

As a Labour supporter, my suspicion is that Clarke would be the biggest threat to Brown in an election. It would be harder for Brown to patronise and appear superior to him, plus Clarke has a likeable human side to him that Brown arguably does not. I suspect ideologically, Clarke appears more palatable to floating voters - he does not seem part of the "nasty party", which Davis does and even the younger faces may be identified with.

I may be biased though as I confess Clarke is one of the few Conservative politicians I like and can listen to without briddling (Willetts and Rifkind might be too others).

But more generally, it is hard to see Brown losing the next election unless the economy or something goes very sour. From that point of view, Clarke may be a bad choice due to his age, if he has to be replaced for yet another leader. From such a defeatist point of view, it may be better to choose someone younger but stick with him, allowing him to build up his credentials to win the election after next.

[Duke Malcolm]

Remember Liverpool was the "second city of the empire".

That was Glasgow...

Anyhoo...
The public would certainly support Clarke more than Cameron in an election, unless Cameron wins and proves himself a fantastic leader and gains massive support and such like. But I think that if Cameron won and gave every speech without notes and wrote it himself and engaged the people then he would be in with a good chance of winning the election, especially if he kept that magnificent head of hair (as we all know the hypothesis that bald men lose elections to hairy men).

Wouldn't it be nice of Rifkind or Fox won, then the leaders of the three main parties would be Scottish. And they tell you English folks you live in a Scottish Raj...

[English assassin]

Can we just have a quick check on this wunderkind-speaks-without-notes thing?

OK, I went through bar school, so I suppose I have the advantage of practice. But being able to speak for 20 minutes, not on some esoteric topic you know nothing about, but on what are supposed to be your deepest, most cherished beliefs, is not THAT big a deal. And he is a politician, its supposed to be his job to be able to do this.

But more generally, it is hard to see Brown losing the next election unless the economy or something goes very sour

Its hard to see the Tories winning, certainly. But there's no love lost for Labour any more. Its just as well for Gordon that the Lib Dems are so obviously only the political wing of the wingeing middle class and Reform are mad. A serious left of centre challenge would see Labour in the soup IMHO.

[The_Doctor]

The borough council petitioned for Liverpool to be given city status which it achieved in 1888, and by the early 20th century it was proclaimed the "Second City of Empire".

http://www.liverpool08.com/AboutLive...tory/index.asp

In the past, Glasgow and Liverpool each had a claim to being the second city of the UK or indeed of the entire British Empire. Both cities were prominent because of their economic importance, especially the central role which they played in overseas trade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_city#United_Kingdom

Ok, so Glasgow was at some point in time.

Is Glasgow the one with the Neds?

[Duke Malcolm]

Yes, but Glasgow is the proper, original 2nd city of the Empire

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

all of Scotland's cities are the ones with the NEDs



I have to say that I don't like Clarke or Fox.

I love Boris Johnson but seeing as he isn't running I'm going to have to say that Cameron or Davis'll get it and, being abroad, I know nothing about either.

[Duke Malcolm]

The bookies were at 5:6 for Cameron last time I checked, he's favourite.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

having read about Cameron's and Davis's performances at the conference I do believe that Cameron would be the wiser pick for the Tories. If Davis can't get his act together in preparing his speeches for an important event like that then I doubt he'd get his public image working if he did win.

[King Henry V]

Well Ken Clarke has been knocked out of the race, he got the least number of votes, 38 out of 198 votes. I don't quite like his Europhile views, he is old, and I think the only one he could give a run for his money is the Bull of Hull.

[BDC]

Well my friend, who appears to be the solitary local member of the Young Conservatives, seems really taken with Cameron. And seeing as my friend's also the most cynical bastard I've ever met, I suspect Cameron must have something going for him.

[InsaneApache]

Charisma....something alien to the tories since they sold their soul to Major......and lets face it, Major had a quadruple charisma bypass....how anybody could think him a leader beguiles me.....

[English assassin]

Cameron? Yes, that's what we need, a 39 year old old Etonian from the Notting Hill set. That's the way to reconnect with the masses...

I see Zac Goldsmith has been selected on the candidates list too. Well, thats the hard-to-reach sons of billionaires demographic sewn up then.

Bloody hopeless.

[The_Doctor]

Cameron? Yes, that's what we need, a 39 year old old Etonian from the Notting Hill set. That's the way to reconnect with the masses...

He could sell them drugs.

*I am only messing*

[ShadesWolf]

So tomorrow I will see who I get a chance to vote for

My guess is Cameron or Fox
with David Davis getting eliminated.