The 2005 Conservative leadership election was announced by party leader Michael Howard on May 6, 2005, when he announced that he would be stepping down as leader in the near future. However, he stated that he would not depart until a review of the rules for the leadership election had been conducted, given the high level of dissatisfaction with the current system. Ultimately, no changes were made and the election is proceeding with the existing rules, which were introduced in 1998.
The contest formally began on 7 October 2005, when the Chairman of the 1922 committee, Sir Michael Spicer, received a letter of resignation from Michael Howard. Nominations for candidates opened immediately, and closed on 13 October.
The first round of voting amongst Conservative Members of Parliament took place on 18 October and Kenneth Clarke was eliminated (38 votes) leaving David Davis (62 votes), David Cameron (56 votes) and Liam Fox (42 votes) to go through to the second ballot on October 20. In the second ballot, Liam Fox was eliminated (51 votes), leaving David Cameron (90 votes) and David Davis (57 votes) to go through to a postal ballot. The ballot, whose result was declared on December 6, saw David Cameron win a large majority on a 77% turnout.
The end result was;
David Cameron 134,446 [67.61%]
David Davies 64,398 [32.39%]
Damn, another toffee nosed git. I was hoping Davis would get it, then we would have had a conservative party, led by a man of the people, with a regional accent, running against a labour party led by a public school type. The irony would appeal to me.
The present leadership of the labour party is an irony in itself although not unusual, it was co-opted by the chinless wonders as far back as I can remember, although a few working class forced their way up over the years. I still miss the Ernie Bevins, the Manny Shinwells and especially, the Nye Bevans. I can still hear parts of the "Tory Vermin" speech, occassionally.
And I see that he's brought in William Hague as shadow Foreign Sec. My conservative friends at home are getting enormous erections at the talk of David Cameron. Which should tell you something.
I'd never even heard of the bloke until now.
...quickly runs to read the Beeb...
"He is the first Eton-educated Conservative leader since Sir Alec Douglas-Home in the early 1960s and is a member, along with Prince Charles and his sons, of exclusive Mayfair gentleman's club White's." Strike 1.
"But Mr Cameron's period at Carlton is not remembered so fondly by some of the journalists who had to deal with him. Jeff Randall, writing in The Daily Telegraph where he is a senior executive, said he would not trust Mr Cameron "with my daughter's pocket money". "To describe Cameron's approach to corporate PR as unhelpful and evasive overstates by a widish margin the clarity and plain-speaking that he brought to the job of being Michael Green's mouthpiece," wrote the ex-BBC business editor. "In my experience, Cameron never gave a straight answer when dissemblance was a plausible alternative, which probably makes him perfectly suited for the role he now seeks the next Tony Blair," Mr Randall wrote. Sun business editor Ian King, recalling the same era, described Mr Cameron as a "poisonous, slippery individual"." So, a typical upper-crust landed gentry bastard then. Strike 2.
And finally... "He launched his leadership campaign at a community radio station, where he felt comfortable telling listeners to 'keep it real'." Wonderful, nothing better than landed gentry telling us how hard it is keeping it real, yo. Strike 3 and a khitbash for him.
And I see that he's brought in William Hague as shadow Foreign Sec. My conservative friends at home are getting enormous erections at the talk of David Cameron. Which should tell you something.
That you have a lot of queer tory mates?
Yes. Yes I do. I have no idea why it's the case but most of my English friends who are gay are tories.
probably because they're all loaded with no kids and aren't treated like lepers by society
But I thought gay hating was part of conservatism? ) That must just be the US then.
But I thought gay hating was part of conservatism? :) That must just be the US then.
Religious conservarism, yes.
Capitalist conservatism, no. Above average incomes, no families.
Actually I often found the most gay bashing amongst my lefty mates in Wales.
Actually I often found the most gay bashing amongst my lefty mates in Wales.
And the most religious also seemed to be leftys. America must be bizarro world.
I don't understand how religion ever got lumped in with conservatism anyway.
Actually I often found the most gay bashing amongst my lefty mates in Wales.
America must be bizarro world.
Didn't know that before you moved there? :shock: