# 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:** 7
**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 11, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/121 "2016-07-11T13:11:33Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > 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)… The group of backbench Conservative MPs: [1922 Committee - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922_Committee) Leadsom has withdrawn and endorsed May: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/europe/britain-politics-may-leadsom/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/europe/britain-politics-may-leadsom/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/122 "2016-07-11T13:31:55Z")
Yeah, I’m not expecting Article 50 to be triggered any sooner. May is on record saying ‘not this year’, and the UK’s negotiation stance is still a blank page. I would have reckoned much of what stance would be acceptable to the Conservatives would have become apparent in the debates surrounding this leadership election, but now Leadsom has backed off, it’s largely May’s to write. Perhaps I’m overthinking it, but it’s going to give May a considerable degree of free movement. If Leadsom had stayed contending, then both she and May would have had to make statements and give promises in the pursuit of support that would have bound them over in terms of negotiating stances and promises… With Leadsom out, May has extraordinary freedom of movement, to the point at which all I can see she’s specified is ‘Brexit means Brexit’ and ‘no return to the EU by the back door’ Does that mean EEA counts are Brexit, or that only free trade would be acceptable? It’s now for May to decide on her own. ---
**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, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/123 "2016-07-11T15:19:06Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > 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. Brenda is back on Wednesday, so I expect Cameron will take his last PMQs, then hustle to Buck house to resign and recommend May. Brenda will then invite May to form a new government, and May will be in No 10 that evening. Almost every single Tory MP and many Lords will be glued to their phones from now on. Obviously, Cameron won’t. 🙂 ---
**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, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/124 "2016-07-11T16:37:23Z")
If she taps Gove for her Cabinet, I am officially setting fire to something. Ideally it would be Gove himself, but I may settle for an effigy. ---
**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, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/125 "2016-07-11T16:51:30Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Brenda is back on Wednesday, so I expect Cameron will take his last PMQs, then hustle to Buck house to resign and recommend May. You must be psychic. Now announced as exactly that. Govey and she have clashed in their ministerial jobs (each blaming the other’s department over the anti-extremism programme in schools), but whether that was down to them or their people, I don’t know. She might think it better to have him carrying on as the surprisingly liberal-minded Justice minister he’s been trying to be (i.e, a lightning conductor for the hang’em-high headbangers in the party, plus it rather fits with the way she’s told a few home truths to the police as Home Secretary). The big question, who’s going to be minister in charge of Clearing Up And Leaving the Room As You Would Wish To Find It? Who the heck is up to that? ---
**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, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/126 "2016-07-11T17:10:14Z")
One of my Conservative supporting friends has just sent round an image of May’s head superimposed on Cersei’s (from Game of Thrones for those not up to speed on such matters) body from the last episode of GoT. I don’t think he realises that such a picture is not a compliment - given Cersei is a murderer, carries out incest and has no clear plan to actually rule. Although maybe he’s a Leadsom man… ---
**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 11, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/127 "2016-07-11T17:39:36Z")
CNN on Cameron’s expected resignation Weds. and May’s near-future 10 Downing Street tenancy: [http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/europe/britain-politics-may-leadsom/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/europe/britain-politics-may-leadsom/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/128 "2016-07-11T17:41:28Z")
Wait… didn’t Britain vote to leave the EU so they wouldn’t be governed by unelected bureaucrats? 😉 ---
**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, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/129 "2016-07-11T18:07:02Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Wait… didn’t Britain vote to leave the EU so they wouldn’t be governed by unelected bureaucrats? 😉 Shhh! Belgium [went without a government for 20 months](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9311_Belgian_political_crisis) and did just fine. Won’t someone think of the politicians? ---
**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, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/130 "2016-07-11T18:39:49Z")
The Prime Minister will change on Wednesday, here today gone tomorrow as all PMs are, but Larry the Cat will continue in his position as [Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Mouser_to_the_Cabinet_Office). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/131 "2016-07-11T19:00:44Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The Prime Minister will change on Wednesday, here today gone tomorrow as all PMs are, but Larry the Cat will continue in his position as [Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Mouser_to_the_Cabinet_Office). I’m curious what Freya did to get exiled. Enquiring mice want to know! ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/132 "2016-07-11T19:35:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I’m curious what Freya did to get exiled. Enquiring mice want to know! Injured by a car; retired to the Kent countryside. ---
**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, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/133 "2016-07-11T19:58:28Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > Injured by a car; retired to the Kent countryside. Ah, the new “gone to live on a farm” ☹ Bit like Cameron, Gove and Johnson I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/134 "2016-07-11T22:37:15Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Shhh! Belgium [went without a government for 20 months](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9311_Belgian_political_crisis) and did just fine. Well, Belgium’s a country barely holding itself together and … _Oh._ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/135 "2016-07-12T00:09:58Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Ah, the new “gone to live on a farm” ☹ > > Bit like Cameron, Gove and Johnson I suppose. The first fell on his sword, the second shived the third before falling on his own sword, yet the Tories are in better health than Labour. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/136 "2016-07-12T00:26:22Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Yeah, I’m not expecting Article 50 to be triggered any sooner. May is on record saying ‘not this year’, and the UK’s negotiation stance is still a blank page… It could be as late as the autumn of _2017_ if she waits for the French & Germans to get their general elections out of the way; the UK’s next turn at the Presidency of the Council of the European Union starts in _July_ of 2017. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/137 "2016-07-12T02:55:02Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > So UK will have their second woman head of government before the U.S has their first? That hurts. Hell, they had one (Queen Elizabeth I) before the USA even existed. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/138 "2016-07-12T03:18:49Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Hell, they had one (Queen Elizabeth I) before the USA even existed. Cough. Mary I came first. Not to mention Matilda Empress. Cough. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/139 "2016-07-12T03:43:01Z")
And then there’s Victoria, to jump from the peanut gallery… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667/140 "2016-07-12T04:04:59Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Cough. Mary I came first. Not to mention Matilda Empress. Cough. In fact England had four universally recognized female rulers before the American Revolution: Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary II and Anne. In addition before those queens, there were two women who are included on some lists of the kings and queens of England: Matilda, Lady of the English and Lady Jane Grey (both for short times de facto monarchs of England, though neither were crowned or had the recognition and control usually enjoyed by the monarchs of their respective times) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-uk-conservative-party-leadership-election-discussion/758667.md?page=8)