Colleagues will have had the opportunity to discuss these and related issues with their constituency chairmen and supporters, as part of the debate we are having.At our party conference in October, I cannot think of anything more negative and distracting than a parade of candidates setting out their stalls, embellished by the reporting of their views, real or imaginary. An opportunity is presenting itself with the daily more obvious inability of this Government to deliver on its promises. In my constituency I have been struck, following three successive electoral disappointments, by the really powerful urge to win next time round. I am absolutely convinced our members will rally enthusiastically around any new leader.I have been struck by the number of my constituents who have cited to me the successful unopposed election of Michael Howard It gave him a real head start and credibility.

They simply do not want a long drawn-out process of individual candidates jockeying for position. Media coverage in the past fortnight will have confirmed their worst fears Weeks and weeks of this will inevitably lie ahead. Our members ache to see unity in the party.I hope therefore that our new party leader will be chosen, if possible, by acclamation. However, in part because of the very unfavourable political topography of the country, the overall result was depressing, for both MPs and our supporters.As we look back, it was a manifestation of the good sense of MPs and our membership that Michael was elected by acclamation. It is a tribute to him that Labour are already pinching Tory policies because they struck such a chord with the electorate. It is historically the most enduring political force in any democracy.

Tories instinctively feel that they are the natural party of government: our active supporters hold this belief really powerfully.Our party is hugely grateful to Michael Howard, who led our general election campaign with inspiring vigour, and wish he had not announced his resignation so soon My admiration for Mr Howard is boundless. We know that Labour supporters liked it.
The Conservative Party has a unique place in the pantheon of political movements. The Conservative Party paid a bitter price for the rowing and disharmony that characterised the last period of Conservative government. During the recent general election, the Labour Party went to great lengths to shore up Tony Blair by having Gordon Brown at his side – not only because of the Prime Minister’s unpopularity, but to project a unity of purpose We know that Labour supporters liked it. The electorate punishes political parties that appear to be disunited.