# 2016 UK Conservative Party Leadership Election Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 29, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667 "2016-06-29T02:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/101 "2016-07-07T15:36:04Z")
[It’s May vs Leadsom](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36737426). We’re going to have our second female Prime Minister. Gove’s chances were apparently really damaged after one of his MP backers sent a text to MPs backing May asking them to vote tactically to block Leadsom. The text argued that the Tory members might vote for Leadsom as a fresh face who “shares their attitudes about much of modern life”. Some say it’s a bit unfair that the actions of one his backers should hurt Gove so much, but if you can’t build a good team and demonstrate “grip” then you don’t deserve to be PM. I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/102 "2016-07-07T16:10:30Z")
Interesting. How will the vote by the nation’s Tories be taken? Paper ballots, online or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/103 "2016-07-07T16:54:45Z")
Leadsom is damaged goods, thanks to fabricating her CV. Given the size of May’s majority, I expect Leadsom will likely do a deal with May and stand aside ‘for the good of the country.’ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/104 "2016-07-07T17:11:24Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Gove’s chances were apparently really damaged after one of his MP backers sent a text to MPs backing May asking them to vote tactically to block Leadsom. The text argued that the Tory members might vote for Leadsom as a fresh face who “shares their attitudes about much of modern life”. Wait…did this person actually propose that Leadsom should be blocked on the basis that other MPs might agree with her? Because that’s all kinds of fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/105 "2016-07-07T17:24:57Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Wait…did this person actually propose that Leadsom should be blocked on the basis that other MPs might agree with her? Because that’s all kinds of fucked up. On the basis that the 150,000 or so party members, not MPs, would agree with her. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/106 "2016-07-09T04:52:41Z")
So UK will have their second woman head of government before the U.S has their first? That hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/107 "2016-07-11T08:46:56Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > And I do not disagree. Remember that I had a period of extended poverty myself. But he’s still a self-made man. I’m not disagreeing with that point. I’m disagreeing with the idea that the Conservatives promote “equality of opportunity” as a general principle. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > On the basis that the 150,000 or so party members, not MPs, would agree with her. Ah, my bad. The incredulity still stands. > [@Nema98](#): > > So UK will have their second woman head of government before the U.S has their first? That hurts. You think that hurts? **Bangladesh** has had two (in alternation since 1991). Haiti has had _three_. The US is way behind the curve on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/108 "2016-07-11T10:14:34Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I’m not disagreeing with that point. I’m disagreeing with the idea that the Conservatives promote “equality of opportunity” as a general principle. I see. Yes, they don’t so much promote it as practice it. > [@](#): > > You think that hurts? **Bangladesh** has had two (in alternation since 1991). Haiti has had _three_. The US is way behind the curve on this one. It’s not a race. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/109 "2016-07-11T10:46:13Z")
More news from this clown shoe of a country - it appears that Andrea Leadsom is on the verge of pulling out of the race. Or at least every political reporter in my twitter feed thinks so. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/110 "2016-07-11T10:59:45Z")
She’s now going to “make a statement” in about 15 minutes. So what happens if she does quit? Does May get a coronation or do they let Gove get back in since he was #3? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/111 "2016-07-11T10:59:58Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > More news from this clown shoe of a country - it appears that Andrea Leadsom is on the verge of pulling out of the race. Or at least every political reporter in my twitter feed thinks so. If so, do they still need the formality of a vote, or could May be Prime Minister as early as, say, tomorrow? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/112 "2016-07-11T11:08:11Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I see. Yes, they don’t so much promote it as practice it. Erm, no they don’t. Quite the opposite, in fact. > [@](#): > > It’s not a race. I would agree if it was simply a matter of waiting for the right female candidate to come along. The issue is it’s taken a long time for the percentage of people opposed to a female president in principle to reduce sufficiently for such a candidate to be more than just a novelty. And back on the topic of Andrea Leadsom, WTF was up with the whole nonsense about her comments about “having a stake in the country” because she was a mother? IIRC the sequence was: 1. Leadsom gets asked repeatedly about her children in the context of the campaign. 2. She gives a fairly bland answer to get off the topic. 3. Media take remarks out of context and go nuts. I heard John Humphries hammering her about this the other day as if it were a material issue, but it’s not remotely limited to the BBC. The quality of journalism these days on all sides is absolutely appalling. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/113 "2016-07-11T11:09:18Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > If so, do they still need the formality of a vote, or could May be Prime Minister as early as, say, tomorrow? The Guardian’s live blog just posted a snippet saying “No 10 indicates that Cameron could hand over to May soon.” But there are _other_ things saying that the party rules appear to require the 1922 Committee (some party affair responsible for running this whole thing) to do something so that there are two candidates to propose to the membership. And just as I type this, there’s another thing saying the chairman of the 1922 Committee will be speaking after Leadsom. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/114 "2016-07-11T11:12:12Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > And just as I type this, there’s another thing saying the chairman of the 1922 Committee will be speaking after Leadsom. First, they’ve both got to wait for Eagle to finish speaking. A busy Monday morning for political reporters over there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/115 "2016-07-11T11:19:25Z")
I guess Cameron wanted to remain Prime Minister long enough to see the Men’s Final at Wimbledon yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/116 "2016-07-11T11:25:10Z")
Leadsom pulls out of the race. Thread closed? Being a cynical bastard, I figure that she’s spent the weekend coming up with plausible reasons for exiting, whilst having the thumbscrews applied by senior members of the Tory establishment. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/117 "2016-07-11T11:33:36Z")
Assuming the UK ‘May’ have a new Prime Minister, how soon until she invokes article 50 and does she put it to a free vote in Parliament? No chance of a snap general election? Are there enough disgruntled Tories to join with Labour to force a vote of no confidence? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/118 "2016-07-11T11:48:13Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Assuming the UK ‘May’ have a new Prime Minister, how soon until she invokes article 50 and does she put it to a free vote in Parliament? No chance of a snap general election? Are there enough disgruntled Tories to join with Labour to force a vote of no confidence? Is Cameron still hanging on until October? I suspect a lot will depend on the state of the Labour Party at any given point. A vote of no confidence will have more oomph if it comes after an ousting of Corbyn, as there will be a “new broom” vibe across both parties (and, actually, UKIP given their current leadership search as well). At the risk of stating the obvious, if the people who stand to benefit from change outnumber the people who stand to benefit from the status quo, we’ll get an election. If Corbyn hangs on (as he is likely to do) Labour will be too busy with internal squabblings to attempt to force an election. But I’d be surprised if May invokes Article 50 quickly - that’s the sort of thing you REALLY need a plan for, and she won’t have had time to make one yet. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/119 "2016-07-11T12:26:54Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Is Cameron still hanging on until October?. Not any more. Mrs May (aka Cruella De Ville or the Empress Wu) is now the sole candidate so will presumably be round to No. 10 to measure up for curtains sometime this afternoon or tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/120 "2016-07-11T12:44:45Z")
> [@Cumbrian](#): > > Leadsom pulls out of the race. > > Thread closed? > > Being a cynical bastard, I figure that she’s spent the weekend coming up with plausible reasons for exiting, whilst having the thumbscrews applied by senior members of the Tory establishment. Try reading Jeremy Paxman’s _The Political Animal_… You may not be as cynical as you think… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667.md?page=7)