Despite winning the first round of the 1995 Conservative Leadership Election by 201-95, a substantial number of abstentions meant that John Major fell below his personal target of 215, and like Lady Thatcher in 1990, resigned despite winning the first round. Major's decision shocked the party, and his closest allies, who blamed 'the bastards in the cabinet' for holding back votes to force Major to resign. All four candidates are heralded as 'traitors' by various factions of the party, meaning that the result truly is up in the air.
The Battle of the Bastards
Michael Portillo
Ardent Thatcherite, and poster boy of the right, Michael Portillo has entered the second round, after holding his fire in not challenging Major. Criticized by some in the party for his indecision, Portillo is still seen as the favourite among the right, and the grassroots of the party. Running on a strong platform of 'No Euro, No Tax Rise', Portillo hopes both his youth, and firm platform can inspire a deeply wounded party.
Michael Hesseltine
President of the Board of the Trade, Michael Hesseltine has been drafted in as the 'consensus' candidate, pledging to unite the party and 'bring some damn joy back to the party'. Hesseltine is supported by heavyweight figures like Michael Clarke and Malcolm Rifkind. Whilst distrusted by the right over his pro-Europeon stance, and for his role in the downfall of Mrs Thatcher, even those on the right acknowledge he is the most likely to be able to stem the support towards John Smith, and Labour.
John Redwood
After getting an impressive total of 95 MP's in the first round, John Redwood has stayed in the race arguing that he was the only candidate with the 'heart' to save the party (which was decried as a thinly veiled jab at Hesseltine's health) Continuing to run as a firm euroskeptic, many doubt that Redwood will be able to get into the second round, as many of his supporters have shifted to Portillo, with one even comparing Redwood to a 'used contraceptive'.
Ian Lang
The Scottish Secretary, who's on the relative left of the party, and is a close ally of John Major who was in charge of the whipping operation for the Leadership, Lang hastily declared a bid for the leadership after claiming that he 'was sick of the petty games, by petty men' who held back their support. Alleging that both Portillo and Hesseltine 'robbed Major of a fair fight' Land declared that the party needs someone 'loyal to someone other than themselves'.
Poll
