who is going to win the tory leadership election?

[redsquirrel]

On Channel 4 news last night it reported on the rumours of a bloke called Edward Leigh running. Never heard of him but apparently he's claimed he's got the backing of 20 MP's (he's also supposed to be on the right). Anyone know anything about him? www.edwardleigh.net/

 

[belboid]

havent seen any evidence at all of people falling in love with Clarke - quite the opposite. He's a sad old drug pusher, who only has seeming to be a 'decent cove' going for him. Old tory turd, would do almost nothing for them. A couple of points tops.

Davies is dull as dishwater, I can well see Brown ripping him apart. Cameron is the only one who might give them a hope - not in 2008, but the one after that, if they actually stuck with him and gave him an opportunity to build up a 'team' around him, that actually had a political ethos.

Obviously I hope they'll choose Fox or Rifkind tho.....

 

[belboid]

On Channel 4 news last night it reported on the rumours of a bloke called Edward Leigh running. Never heard of him but apparently he's claimed he's got the backing of 20 MP's (he's also supposed to be on the right). Anyone know anything about him? www.edwardleigh.net/

far right, family values, old school tory shit. None of this modern rubbish like being nice to or about homosexuals you know. Complete tosser.

 

[redsquirrel]

far right, family values, old school tory shit. None of this modern rubbish like being nice to or about homosexuals you know. Complete tosser.

You know I almost wish he would get the job then, just to see them fail totally and utterly once again. It would be funny to find someone who did even worse than the last few.

 

[Roadkill]

havent seen any evidence at all of people falling in love with Clarke - quite the opposite. He's a sad old drug pusher, who only has seeming to be a 'decent cove' going for him. Old tory turd, would do almost nothing for them. A couple of points tops.

This was among delegates at the party conference. Whatever Clarke is, he's not stupid and he is charismatic so I shouldn't discount him just yet.

Edward Leigh, MP for Gainsborough, is an arsehole of the highest order but he's hardly a serious contender. He's too far to the right - more so than David Davis - and too much of a stereotypical public school twit for anyone to want him as leader. He's like Boris Johnson without the charm.

 

[marty21]

On Channel 4 news last night it reported on the rumours of a bloke called Edward Leigh running. Never heard of him but apparently he's claimed he's got the backing of 20 MP's (he's also supposed to be on the right). Anyone know anything about him? www.edwardleigh.net/

I've heard of him, he stands no chance....

 

[Idris2002]

Q. If all the Tory leadership candidates were thrown off a high building, which one would hit the ground first?

A. Who cares?

 

[marty21]

i have heard this leadership campaign described as a beauty contest

 

[comstock]

David Davis's speech very right wing, and not gone down well with BBC2 viewers...

 

[marty21]

David Davis's speech very right wing, and not gone down well with BBC2 viewers...

he's not supposed to be that good a speaker, did he seem confident?

 

[Roadkill]

Q. If all the Tory leadership candidates were thrown off a high building, which one would hit the ground first?

A. Who cares?

You would, if you were standing where Ken Clarke landed!

 

[marty21]

You would, if you were standing where Ken Clarke landed!

you might stand more of a chance if fox landed on you

 

[comstock]

he's not supposed to be that good a speaker, did he seem confident?

Confident enough, just very right wing, imigration, asylum, tough on crime, abolish human rights act, blah blah, blah............

 

[comstock]

Edward Leigh, MP for Gainsborough, is an arsehole of the highest order but he's hardly a serious contender. He's too far to the right - more so than David Davis - and too much of a stereotypical public school twit for anyone to want him as leader. He's like Boris Johnson without the charm.

Just been on TV, threatened to run himself, but seems more likley to support one of the other candidates. 20 votes could be important. He has the support of the following (nasty right-wing) MPs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornerstone_Group

EDIT oh and he's also a nasty homophobe, just for good measure.

"In 2005, just before the General Election, when told that he came bottom of a ranking system based on gay rights, Leigh answered: "I had to giggle as I read the accompanying letter, which informed me that I came last equal with 0% ... I wear it as a badge of honour - the gay vote is not big in Lincolnshire. I was even thinking of mentioning it in my election address."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Leigh

This is the type of people in this party, and Clarke or Cameron alone won't change that.

 

[Roadkill]

He was interviewed on Look North last week. He refused to say whether he'd run for leader or not, but the impression I got was - as you suggest - that he was more likely to support someone else.

Tbh I think the Tory right are pissing in the wind. For all the huffing and puffing from twats like Edward Leigh most Tories know they need to make a pitch for the centreground to get anywhere, which is why Cameron's doing well. Obviously Leigh and the like aren't going away, but if a more liberal candidate wins they won't have the influence they might if David Davis were to win it.

 

[belboid]

Leigh knopws damn well he wouldn't win, but that's not really the point of a candidature, it's getting his agenda recognised and taken up. He hopes.

 

[butchersapron]

Of course - his candidacy may get 25 votes, which then becomes a bargaining chip in the final round, and he'll be demanding something for those 25 votes...

 

[Epicurus]

Oh dear oh dear! I think Davies has blown it.

After his dismal performance today I think he has a mountain to climb with the membership, he sounded just like every other Tory minister over the last 30 years.

Nothing new, no direction, nothing different, I had thought it was going to be a run off between Clarke and Davies and now I’m not so sure.

I’m also not 100% sure that someone new isn’t going to enter the race that has yet to declare.

While I can’t see a return of the “Thacth” I also can’t see a leader amounts the people who have declared, so maybe a late entry from Teresa May? And while “just William” says he wouldn’t stand again he; he was very popular with the grass routes (so I’m told) I’m sure he would if his party needs him.

 

[comstock]

Lets see what Foxy has to say.......

Euroskeptic, and pro Iraq war but also spoke up for a few 'unfashionable' causes....Burma,helping the mentally ill, and women fleeing domestic violence all got a mention

 

[Orangesanlemons]

This is the danger, isn't it? I still think they'll do anything possible to sabotage Clarke, but DD isn't exactly pulling up any trees.

I've stuck a saver on Dr. Fox, just in case.

*oddsflash*

It's a really interesting market now - DD has slipped to well over evens (2.3), KC and DC hovering at 4s. Foxy's at 12 and as for whatsiface - the odds on Theresa May (who hasn't even declared) are lower (170 if you fancy a longshot).

My advice? Get stuck in...

 

[Orangesanlemons]

I seem to be talking to myself here, but... *oddsflash*

Cameron now hot fave at 2.1 (in from 10s at the start of the week), Davis plummets to 2.9.

Fat bastard at 7s, Dr. Fox at 11s.

I hope i'm not the only one due to claw back a few quid off the fuckers.

 

[oryx]

there's no one called davis standing?

David Davis.

I think the guy's trump card is that despite his supposedly disastrous speech he comes over as really reasonable - when he's not.

 

[Fledgling]

Can anyone tell me why Rifkind is standing in this contest?

 

[poet]

My money's on Ken Clarke, but I'd say David Cameron is worth a punt after his stellar performance.

 

[Combustible]

Is it just me or does Cameron just bang on about modernising the party and they all nod but he doesn't really say what he actually wants to do.

 

[marty21]

Is it just me or does Cameron just bang on about modernising the party and they all nod but he doesn't really say what he actually wants to do.

none of them are saying much...

 

[comstock]

none of them are saying much...

No I've not heard anything yet that would switch my vote away from Labour (that would take a lot, but like any good politician I ain't ruling anything out )

If anyones interested, here are the latest scores on the doors, as more MPs come off the fence.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/toryleadership/who_is_backing_who/index.html

Davis 65 Cameron now up to 26 MPs Clarke on 19, Fox on 14 and Rifkind on 7

131 declared out of 198 Tory MPs Still looking tight for second

 

[marty21]

fox is a bit of a dark horse, had a good conference, cameron seems to be liked by the papers, davis seems to be struggling to shrug off a poor conference speech, rifkind isn't attracting any publicity at all

looking like davis/cameron to me at the moment, clarke may be a 4 time loser?

 

[hibee]

The press seem to be bigging up Cameron in a big way. He was being talked of as the outsider until the papers went nuts for that conference speech.

 

[marty21]

The press seem to be bigging up Cameron in a big way. He was being talked of as the outsider until the papers went nuts for that conference speech.

the speeches seemed to be really significant for the media, cameron was seen as having a good conference, as was fox, davis was seen as having a badone, rifkind, i didn't hear about, and clarke, well they all expected him to give a good speech so he couldn't benefit from having made one...