Friday, May 20, 2005

Portillo & Osborne

Got the shock of my life tonight when Michael Portillo said nice things about David Davis on the Andrew Neil programme. He certainly gave the impression he would support him over David Cameron. A great surprise. And apparently in tomorrow's Telegraph George Osborne rules himself out of the leadership contest. More interesting will be who he hitches himself to. May I make a suggestion...?!

8 comments:

Jonathan Sheppard said...

Have you heard any rumours as to when candidates may announce an intent to stand rather than announcements ruling themselces out?

Anonymous said...

I am very interested to know Iain,why you are so in favour of David Davis over the other potential candidates.
I genuinely don't know that much about him other that he is on the right of the party, in favour of capital punishment and is a member of the TA.
He seems to attract quite a bit of negative press comment and most articles I read seem to have quotes from anonymous collegues who describe him as lazy and disloyal.
Other articles describe him as a possible saviour of the Conservative Party and you believe that he will attract voters from other parties, why?

Anonymous said...

Is your new job (mentioned on another thread) Davis related? I had heard you were pencilled in to do his press or something when IDS stood down, before Howard "emerged".

Like Malcolm, I cannot really see the appeal of Davis. He strikes me as an uninspiring and mildly menacing suit. But then I voted for Malcolm Bruce as Lib Dem leader so what do I know!

Anonymous said...

James, I am not anti Davis.I simply do not know enough about him to make an educated decision should I have a vote in the leadership election.
I assume that Iain knows all the likely candidates quite well and was curious to know why he favoured Davis.

Anonymous said...

I sat next to him at No 10 during the party John Major gave after being re-elected leader of the Conservatives while serving as PM. He freaked me out slightly by sitting on his own staring at everyone. Not a mingler. He seemed to have an inferiority complex.

Iain Dale said...

Henry, that doesn't sound like the DD I know. I have never heard him described as having an inferiority complex!

James, that's for me to know and you to guess! Isn't anticipation wonderful? All will be revealed in good time.

Mike D said...

For more information on DD, including 'Case For', philosophy and quotes, see our David Davis For Leader blog- http://daviddavisleader.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Well, he certainly wasn't up for chatting to everyone who had been working for JM's re-election for two weeks. He just wallflowered the room sitting on a hard-backed chair. Perhaps he is just not a party person - not great for a Party leader perhaps.