Conservative Leadership Election, 2001:
Ann Widdecombe, the Tories's Fighting Lady
First Ballot:
Ann Widdecombe: 58
Ken Clarke: 37
David Davis: 29
Francis Maude: 22
Peter Lilley: 22
Stephen Dorrell: 15
Having scored a disappointing performance in the 2000 General Election John Redwood resigned as Leader of the Conservative Party, starting the third leadership election in six years. With Michael Portillo and Chris Patten declining to return as MP’s and Malcolm Rifkind failing to retake a seat the contest saw six candidates fighting for the leadership: Ann Widdecombe, Ken Clarke, David Davis, Francis Maude, Peter Lilley and Stephen Dorrell (with potential candidates like William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith staying out). Despite speculation focusing on Clarke, Maude and Lilley as the main candidates, neither Maude nor Lilley managed to find success despite being considered the champions of their respective factions and the heirs to either Redwood and Portillo. Added with the inability of Dorrell to make grounds beyond his small base of MP’s all three were eliminated or withdrew after the first ballot. With Ken Clarke standing strong and the dark-horse David Davis surging as a clear option, it fell to Ann Widdecombe to emerge ahead of the divided field.
Second Ballot Results:
Ken Clarke: 78
Ann Widdecombe: 56
David Davis: 49
Turned into a three-way contest between Clarke, Widdecombe and Davis the contest turned towards the two candidates chosen for the membership ballot. It was Ken Clarke who proved more successful courting MP’s, bringing Dorrell and even Maude on board to form a larger coalition to take the leadership. Widdecombe, losing some ground on account of a few questionable media interventions, saw Davis rising behind her as the other notable Eurosceptic candidate on the race. With Clarke winning a large plurality of MP’s in the second round, Widdecombe edged Davis by seven votes to reach the final membership ballot.
Membership Ballot Results:
Ann Widdecombe: 54.2%
Ken Clarke: 45.8%
The final ballot was positively described as a “clash of the titans”. Widdecombe and Clarke both had enormous support amongst the membership, and quite possibly the two more popular MP’s in the party. Despite the clear policy differences (contrasting the social-conservative, Eurosceptic, authoritarian Widdecombe with the social-liberal, Europhile, and more relaxed Clarke), it was a mostly civil contest, supported by Clarke and Widdecombe’s positive personal relationship. Whilst both rejected the idea of serving in the Shadow Cabinet should they be defeated, they also did the best they could to prevent another civil war from taking place should either be elected. In the end, it was Widdecombe who proved to be more in tune with the feelings of the party membership, and despite a close result she defeated Clarke to take the leadership. Widdecombe moved to heal the wounds of the contest as soon as possible, assembling a Shadow Cabinet that represented different factions:
Conservative Leader: Ann Widdecombe
Deputy Leader: Stephen Dorrell
Shadow Chancellor: Oliver Letwin
Shadow Home Secretary: David Davis
Shadow Foreign Secretary: William Hague
Ann Widdecombe had taken her party by storm, could she do the same with the nation?
Poll
