06/05/05 - Michael Howard To Stand Down

Michael Howard During His Visit To Swindon During The General Election

Michael Howard has stunned Conservatives by announcing that he intends to stand down as party leader "sooner rather than later".

Just hours after declaring that the General Election had been a "huge step forward" with a result that left the party holding "its head up high", he announced plans to quit so that a new, younger leader can prepare the Conservatives for the next election contest in four or five years time.

However, Mr Howard stressed that he will remain in charge until the party has decided whether to change the rules for electing a new leader - a process which could take months to complete.

Speaking as a seriously weakened Tony Blair took Labour into a record third term, with his Commons majority slashed by around 100, and the Conservatives emerging from the contest with an extra 36 seats, Mr Howard said he had failed to deliver the 2005 election victory he so coveted.

Visiting Putney where he made his first speech as party leader exactly 18 months ago to the day, he stood alongside the constituency's victorious new MP Justine Greening, and declared: "I am 63 years old. At the time of the next election in four or five years time I will be 67 or 68, and I believe that's simply too old to lead a party into government."

Stressing his determination to do what is best for party, and above all country, Mr Howard said: "As I can't fight the next election as leader of our party, I believe it's better for me to stand aside sooner rather than later so that the party can choose someone who can. I want to avoid the uncertainty of prolonged debate about the leadership of the party."

And he added: "I want the next Conservative leader to have much more time than I had to prepare our party for government. If we achieved this much in just 18 months imagine what can be achieved in the next four or five years."

Earlier, Mr Howard said he was sad that more constituencies had not been captured, especially as so many candidates came within a whisker of winning. "But today the Conservative Party can hold its head up high. We have begun the process of rebuilding our party, of building a broad and outward-looking party that reflects Britain in the 21st century."

He also appealed to the party's MPs and mass membership to remain united, and never return to the "bickering and backstabbing of the past".

The review of the leadership election rules - which currently give the final say to the party in the country - is expected to take several months, but could be concluded by the time of the annual conference in October, after which the ballot for Mr Howard's successor could possibly be completed by the end of the year.

Councillor Justin Tomlinson, "As the candidate for North Swindon I was proud to be joined by Michael Howard during the election campaign.   One thing that is beyond doubt is that Michael Howard deserves the credit for providing the Conservative Party with strong, firm and resolute leadership clearly identifying the issues that matter to the British people, helping put us firmly on the road to recovery."