Tory leadership contest won't change problems with party and policy

4.14.38pm GMT Mon 3rd Oct 2005

Tory leadership contest won't change problems with party and policy

The beginning of the Tory Party conference today saw the leadership hopefuls campaigning for votes, whilst the party's chairman warned the party must change or die. Conservative chairman Francis Maude cautioned grassroots members not to sit back and simply wait for the political pendulum to swing back in their favour. However, three quarters of Tory supporters believe that the contest to succeed Michael Howard has shown the Conservative Party to be desperately short of strong leaders, according to a Populus poll for The Times.

The Conservatives always think a new leader will solve their problems - but it didn't with Hague, Duncan Smith or Howard. Whoever they elect, changing the leader won't solve the Conservative Party's problems. Their problems are their policies, and the party itself. Whoever becomes leader, they remain split down the middle, and out of touch with the public, leaving the Liberal Democrats as the only effective opposition.