Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1997

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A leadership election was triggered in the Conservative Party when John Major resigned on May 2, 1997 after the defeat at the 1997 general election.

1 Candidates
2 Results
3 Aftermath

[edit] Candidates

[edit] Stood

[edit] Announced they were standing but withdrew

Stephen Dorrell - withdrew in favour of Clarke before the ballot

[edit] Did not stand

Michael Heseltine - had been widely expected to contest the leadership but declined to following health concerns

[edit] Not an MP at the time

In the months before the general election a number of other prominent Conservatives were talked about as potential leaders; however several failed to hold their seats in the general election including:

[edit] Results

[edit] First round

Kenneth Clarke - 49
William Hague - 41
John Redwood - 27
Peter Lilley - 24
Michael Howard - 23

[edit] Second round

Howard and Lilley gave their backing to William Hague.

Kenneth Clarke - 64
William Hague - 62
John Redwood - 38

[edit] Third and final round

For the final round, Redwood gave his backing to Clarke.

William Hague - 90
Kenneth Clarke - 72
Abstentions - 1

One MP did not vote. Julian Lewis announced that it was he.

[edit] Aftermath

The following year the system of leadership elections was altered to the present form, where MPs choose a short-list of two candidates, who are then presented to the mass membership to choose.

Under William Hague's leadership, the party would fail to make any significant advance at the 2001 general election, and he was succeeded by Iain Duncan Smith.