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11/10/2005
Rifkind withdraws from Tory leadership contest
Sir Malcolm Rifkind has withdrawn from the race to be the next leader of the Conservative party.
Sir Malcolm, the former Foreign Secretary, had been the rank outsider to replace Michael Howard as party leader. He had the backing of seven MPs, but had trailed behind the other candidates – Ken Clarke, David Cameron, David Davis and Liam Fox – in opinion polls.
In a letter to party activists in Reigate and Banstead, Sir Malcolm’s campaign manager Crispin Blunt said that he had withdrawn because “there is insufficient support to give him any realistic prospect of success.”
Mr Blunt said that Sir Malcolm would be supporting Ken Clarke in the leadership race.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s ‘World At One’, Sir Malcolm said that Mr Clarke had the popular appeal and experience to be the Conservative party leader. He said: “He is an obvious person who can handle Gordon Brown, who will be Prime Minister by the time of the next election.”
It is thought that Sir Malcolm’s chances in the leadership contest had been hampered by the loss of his Parliamentary seat in Edinburgh Pentlands in the 1997 General Election. The 59-year-old only returned to Westminster, as MP for Kensington and Chelsea, in this year’s General Election and it is thought that he did not have sufficient time to drum up support for his leadership bid among Conservative MPs.
Sir Malcolm served as a government minister in both Margaret Thatcher and John Major’s Cabinets. He is currently the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.
Nominations for the Conservative leadership contest close on Thursday and the first vote is due to take place on October 18. Michael Howard’s successor is expected to be announced on December 6.
(KMcA/SP)
Sir Malcolm, the former Foreign Secretary, had been the rank outsider to replace Michael Howard as party leader. He had the backing of seven MPs, but had trailed behind the other candidates – Ken Clarke, David Cameron, David Davis and Liam Fox – in opinion polls.
In a letter to party activists in Reigate and Banstead, Sir Malcolm’s campaign manager Crispin Blunt said that he had withdrawn because “there is insufficient support to give him any realistic prospect of success.”
Mr Blunt said that Sir Malcolm would be supporting Ken Clarke in the leadership race.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s ‘World At One’, Sir Malcolm said that Mr Clarke had the popular appeal and experience to be the Conservative party leader. He said: “He is an obvious person who can handle Gordon Brown, who will be Prime Minister by the time of the next election.”
It is thought that Sir Malcolm’s chances in the leadership contest had been hampered by the loss of his Parliamentary seat in Edinburgh Pentlands in the 1997 General Election. The 59-year-old only returned to Westminster, as MP for Kensington and Chelsea, in this year’s General Election and it is thought that he did not have sufficient time to drum up support for his leadership bid among Conservative MPs.
Sir Malcolm served as a government minister in both Margaret Thatcher and John Major’s Cabinets. He is currently the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.
Nominations for the Conservative leadership contest close on Thursday and the first vote is due to take place on October 18. Michael Howard’s successor is expected to be announced on December 6.
(KMcA/SP)
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