Free Republic

Oct. 30, 2003 Jewish legislator set to be leader of English opposition By DOUGLAS DAVIS British legislator Michael Howard. Photo: AP Veteran Jewish legislator Michael Howard now looks certain to be crowned leader of the opposition Conservative Party following a bout of internecine strife that led to the political ouster of former leader Iain Duncan Smith on Wednesday night. While nominations for the leadership remain open until next Thursday, heavy-hitters within the party were quick to announce that they would stand aside and support Howard, who is widely seen as "a big beast in the political jungle." Colleagues see Howard...

By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent (Filed: 30/05/2003) The first signs of a solidly-based Tory recovery for a decade are revealed today in an opinion poll that shows a collapse of trust in Tony Blair is beginning to hurt Labour. A YouGov survey for The Telegraph puts the Conservatives just one point behind Labour, their highest poll rating since 1992 apart from a blip during the fuel crisis in the autumn of 2000. The results are a further shot in the arm for Iain Duncan Smith four weeks after the Conservatives gained 561 council seats to become the largest party...