I doubt it. But you never know. Considering that the Conservative party does like to turn on its own of late, you'd think that a strong challenge to Howard's leadership is not only possible but likely, if the Conservatives don't do well in next month's vote. But an interesting point to notice if you look at his likely rivals (and you'd think that for those you should just look behind him in the Shadow Cabinet) is that some of them are having to defend seats that are far from safe. For example, two of the big three positions are held by men (Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin and Shadow Home Secretary David Davis) who are defending margins of less than 2000 votes (Letwin holds one of the most endangered seats of any Conservative). It could be that some of his most effective potential successors won't even be in the House again after this election. I'm sure it's not the kind of job security Howard wants, but it's interesting to note.
Posted by armand at April 18, 2005 12:55 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Politicsthough whole idea of a shadow cabinet is bizarre. even the terminology is bothersome. one of the more important countries in the history of the world has a cabinet and a shadow cabinet -- it sounds so cabalistic, masonic, something . . . they aren't knights templar, these shadow ministers, are they?
Posted by: joshua at April 18, 2005 02:16 PM | PERMALINKHa ha ha. Actually I like the term - I mean it's so rare in our actual politics that we get to throw a phrase like that around. It's not quite "Legion of Doom" but I think it could be up to something nefarious in, say, the James Bond books.
Posted by: Armand at April 18, 2005 02:49 PM | PERMALINK