leadership

with great sadness i must decline to put my name forward for the conservative party leadership contest.
i do this not because i want to spend more time with my family (which currently consists of a very frayed teddy bear), and it is not because i want to pursue other activities (i know i am stuck in my job for as long as they have me...)
i decline for the simple reason that i might make them more electable than any of the people they are likely to elect.

as i understand it they will not have a new elected leader until the start of 2006.
tony blair must be happy to see this mess in the opposition.
gordon brown must be rubbing his hands with the thought that he will be able to lead labour to a 4th term.

so out of respect for both tony and gordon i am not running. i do not want to piss on their parade.