Post by James G on Aug 21, 2021 8:41:43 GMT
During the later stages of his premiership, the leadership of John Major was repeatedly wounded by allegations of impropriety by members of his government as well as other MPs within the Conservatives. He had survived such disasters as Black Wednesday though, worse than any minister having an affair, and was determined to fight onwards against those who sought to bring his government down. Major wanted to serve out his term and move to win the next general election. That wasn't to be though.
In mid-1994, a story broke about his own personal life. It was one of a relationship he had had back in the 80s with a fellow junior minister (as they were both then) and erupted onto the frontpages of every newspaper across the country. Journalists tracked down Edwina Currie, who was outside of government but still an MP, and she confirmed that there had been a previous four-year affair with Major. That sunk Major. His lost all credibility, plus the confidence of many members of his Cabinet. Several did stand beside him, including his Chancellor Ken Clarke, but the damage was done. A move was made against him for a leadership challenge. Like Thatcher before him four years past, Major declared that he would contest that internal party contest. When it came to it though, Major changed his mind. His allies had taken soundings and it was clear that he wouldn't just lose the contest but be humiliated by the suggested scale of the defeat. He'd lose to a 'nobody' too.
Major announced his resignation with that delayed pending the outcome of the contest. Once his successor was chosen, Major would leave Downing Street.
Heavyweights entered the race once Major was out. There was a race to get their nomination papers in whereas before they had held off with the worry over breaking government unity. A total of seven candidates would enter the contest but only three of them stood a realistic chance: Clarke, Michael Heseltine (Trade & Industry Secretary) and Malcolm Rifkind (Defence Secretary).
Junior candidates were knocked out fast in the early stages of the contest. There were several rounds of voting which only involved Conservative MPs with the lowest ranking candidate each time eliminated. Days passed between ballots. The Labour Party was in the middle of selecting a new Leader of the Opposition themselves, using a system of almost a million voters - party and union members -, but the Conservatives stuck to just their three hundred plus MPs. It came down to the final trio though Rifkind only just made it when his heels were nipped at by the young Michael Portillo punching far above his weight to almost get there.
In the penultimate vote, Rifkind was knocked out, doing better than expected there in the end, leaving the contest to just Clarke and Heseltine. Rifkind's votes were split between the two all over the place as their camps sought to win over MPs by promises of government roles, elevation to the Lords or other prizes. As to who would win out, media speculation was rife but there was no general consensus. It would have been either Clarke or Heseltine.
Finally, the result was announced. Clarke won 143 votes while Heseltine took 184. Conservative MPs had selected their new party leader. Hezza, who had been the one to stick the knife in to get rid of Thatcher, had lost in 1990 against Major but would succeed him.
Major left Downing Street that same day as the final result came in and Heseltine was afterwards invited by the Queen to form a government. He became the country's new Prime Minister, seeking to turn his party's fortunes around when faced with the Labour-led Tony Blair and a general election soon to be on the cards.
In mid-1994, a story broke about his own personal life. It was one of a relationship he had had back in the 80s with a fellow junior minister (as they were both then) and erupted onto the frontpages of every newspaper across the country. Journalists tracked down Edwina Currie, who was outside of government but still an MP, and she confirmed that there had been a previous four-year affair with Major. That sunk Major. His lost all credibility, plus the confidence of many members of his Cabinet. Several did stand beside him, including his Chancellor Ken Clarke, but the damage was done. A move was made against him for a leadership challenge. Like Thatcher before him four years past, Major declared that he would contest that internal party contest. When it came to it though, Major changed his mind. His allies had taken soundings and it was clear that he wouldn't just lose the contest but be humiliated by the suggested scale of the defeat. He'd lose to a 'nobody' too.
Major announced his resignation with that delayed pending the outcome of the contest. Once his successor was chosen, Major would leave Downing Street.
Heavyweights entered the race once Major was out. There was a race to get their nomination papers in whereas before they had held off with the worry over breaking government unity. A total of seven candidates would enter the contest but only three of them stood a realistic chance: Clarke, Michael Heseltine (Trade & Industry Secretary) and Malcolm Rifkind (Defence Secretary).
Junior candidates were knocked out fast in the early stages of the contest. There were several rounds of voting which only involved Conservative MPs with the lowest ranking candidate each time eliminated. Days passed between ballots. The Labour Party was in the middle of selecting a new Leader of the Opposition themselves, using a system of almost a million voters - party and union members -, but the Conservatives stuck to just their three hundred plus MPs. It came down to the final trio though Rifkind only just made it when his heels were nipped at by the young Michael Portillo punching far above his weight to almost get there.
In the penultimate vote, Rifkind was knocked out, doing better than expected there in the end, leaving the contest to just Clarke and Heseltine. Rifkind's votes were split between the two all over the place as their camps sought to win over MPs by promises of government roles, elevation to the Lords or other prizes. As to who would win out, media speculation was rife but there was no general consensus. It would have been either Clarke or Heseltine.
Finally, the result was announced. Clarke won 143 votes while Heseltine took 184. Conservative MPs had selected their new party leader. Hezza, who had been the one to stick the knife in to get rid of Thatcher, had lost in 1990 against Major but would succeed him.
Major left Downing Street that same day as the final result came in and Heseltine was afterwards invited by the Queen to form a government. He became the country's new Prime Minister, seeking to turn his party's fortunes around when faced with the Labour-led Tony Blair and a general election soon to be on the cards.
