Fox eliminated from leadership contest
Liam Fox has gone out of the Tory leadership contest, leaving David Cameron and David Davis to go forward to a vote of grassroots party members.
The shadow foreign secretary won 51 of a possible 198 votes, just short of Mr Davis’s 57 but far short of Mr Cameron’s tally of 90 votes.
Mr Cameron and Mr Davis will now have six weeks before the 300,000 members of the Conservative party take a vote on which man they think should succeed Michael Howard. A new leader will be declared on December 6th.
Today’s result was not unexpected, although many predicted the shadow education secretary’s lead would be higher given Tuesday’s exit of his only left-wing rival, Ken Clarke.
Mr Cameron was jubilant, however, saying: “I’m very pleased to be going through to the next round, and I’m looking forward to taking my message around the country.
“It will be a lot of hard work, but I’m excited about it and I want to be a voice for change, for optimism and for hope in this country, making sure we have a strong economy, reform of public services, stronger communities and a good quality of life.
“I want a party that looks to the future, that is modern, compassionate and understands the hopes and dreams of the people. I will take my campaign out to the country tomorrow and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Mr Davis, the shadow home secretary, has lost ground since Tuesday’s ballot, in which he won support of 65 MPs to take the lead.
An online poll in today’s Daily Telegraph also gives Mr Cameron a large lead among Tory party members, with 59 per cent saying they would back the 39-year-old, compared to just 15 per cent supporting Mr Davis.
Speaking outside parliament this evening, however, Mr Davis said: “There is a long time to go in this contest and I intend to fight for my beliefs. of an opportunity society, hope for Britain and changing Britain to improve lives.”
He admitted there was a battle for second place, but he congratulated Mr Fox, and insisted: “Now we can go forward to the next stage. I’m not relieved, but keen to get on with it.”
He added: “Now the real battle starts – the battle ideas, over what’s right for Britain, over taxes, over public service reform; a whole range of issues that matter in an opportunity society.”
For his part, Mr Fox admitted he was “disappointed” at not making the final cut, but congratulated his campaign team, saying: “We came from behind and provided everyone with a run for their money.
“I put forward a clear agenda in an uncompromising way, I set out what I believed in and I intend to continue to do that.”
Asked about who he might support as next leader of the party, the shadow foreign secretary wished both Mr Cameron and Mr Davis luck, but said he had yet to make up his mind.
“I want to endorse the programme that I’ve been setting out in the past few weeks, and I’ll be listening with great interest in the coming weeks,” he said.
