I’ll allow myself some slight triumphalism even this far from the next general election. The last ICS poll (albeit one commissioned by the Guardian) put Labour 8 points clear of the Tories. I’ve already stated that much of the Labour party seems to have severely overestimated Michael Howard and I agree with Mr Blair’s email correspondence with the party that ultimately Michael Howard will never be able to lead the Conservative party to victory in Britain.
It was clear that Howard wouldn’t win, not from his showing in the European and local elections but rather from his opportunistic attempt to derail tuition fees. There was a Tory leader who had to sacrifice the principles of his party to retain some semblance of electability. His later floundering on Iraq and monstrous attempt at an about face on the invasion was mere icing on the cake, as thick as the confection may be.
I haven’t had much to agree with Michael Portillo on in the months since he announced he wouldn’t be defending his seat in the next general election but I’m with him on his latest assertion. Firstly his take on Boris Johnson in this article is spot on and secondly he is right in saying that Michael Gove seems not only to be an utterly respectable candidate to lead the Conservatives to an election victory but also one who had never even crossed the minds of the political classes.
Michael Gove’s writing in the Times has been spectacularly accurate in the past year and a half. He is by far the only Tory I would even countenance voting for*, even if his candidacy is utter speculation at this moment in time.
*(and only if Blair, Reid, Pound and just about every Blairite in the Labour cabinet had dropped dead and left Robin Cook in command)
Incidentally, as much as I cheer the Times for putting their entire content online for free, is it too much to ask for their site to be standards compliant? Decent page-rendering for all!
Later
John
Posted by John Swaine at November 21, 2004 05:12 PM | TrackBack