The Hindu : Tory leader faces confidence vote

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2003

International

International

Tory leader faces confidence vote

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON OCT. 29. The leader of Britain's Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith, was fighting for his political survival today ahead of a crucial vote of confidence which he could lose given the mood among party MPs.

The long-simmering crisis came to a head when 25 MPs, as required under the rules, formally challenged his leadership and called for a vote, barely hours after Mr. Duncan Smith had dramatically set a deadline for his opponents to come out of the `shadows' or "shut up''. He said that he expected his detractors to "call a halt to this most damaging episode'' if they were not able to get enough support to challenge him within 48 hours.

The rebels responded by setting off a momentum which they claimed was `unstoppable'. Mr. Duncan Smith needs the support of half of his MPs but despite his brave talk he was widely seen to be on the ropes. He dismissed the talk of leadership change as `ludicrous' speculation and warned dissidents that continuing "infighting would seriously erode our support in the country''. Shrugging off speculation that he might step down before the vote, he declared: "I intend to be here and I will be here and I will see this through to the general election.'' Mr. Duncan Smith replaced William Hague after the party's rout in the 2001 general election.

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