Thatcher: Just get on with it
Legendry former Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher last night told the Tories to stop dithering and get on with choosing a new leader.
Mrs Thatcher – who is under doctors’ orders not to engage in public speaking – had the statement read out on her behalf as she attended a dinner in London marking her contribution to the party.
She said that the Conservatives should elect a new leader, stop being afraid of being conservative and “get on with it”.
It voices a growing concern in the party that the protracted leadership question has removed much of the momentum generated from its general election campaign.
Although Michael Howard announced he would stand down as leader after the Tories lost the general election campaign, he said he wanted to stay until the selection process has been reformed.
Whilst there might be no official leadership race at present, around eight MPs are looking likely to stand – although only Sir Malcolm Riftkind and Alan Duncan have made their intentions clear.
Other likely candidates include David Davis, Liam Fox, George Osborne, Tim Yeo, Andrew Lansley and potentially Ken Clarke.
Baroness Thatcher’s first intervention in the leadership contest comes as MPs are preparing to vote on eight different proposals for a new leadership process.
The 1922 Committee will proffer a series of options ranging from keeping the current structure, which gives the 300,000 party members the final decision via a ballot, to handing full control to MPs. But this vote will be not binding and indicative.
