Blunt quits to back Rifkind
Conservative whip Crispin Blunt has quit his job in order to back Sir Malcolm Rifkind in the leadership contest.
Yesterday Sir Malcolm became the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring saying that it was “likely” that he would stand in the contest and called on the Conservatives to return to the centre ground.
This is the second time Mr Blunt has quit the frontbench. In 2003 on the eve of the local elections he quit in an attempt to trigger a contest over Iain Duncan Smith’s leadership.
But the results turned out to be better than expected and Mr Duncan Smith remained in his post for another six months.
In a statement released by his office today Mr Blunt said he was standing down because it was important that the Whips’ Office was seen to be neutral in the coming contest.
Mr Blunt said: “Following my four years as Malcolm Rifkind’s special adviser when he was Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary, my personal and professional respect for Sir Malcolm is well-known.
“In any leadership contest it is necessary that the Whips’ Office remains publicly neutral regardless of the private views of individual members of that office.
“Given my views and what are correctly assumed to be my views about the merits of Malcolm Rifkind as a potential leader of the Conservative Party I do not feel I could continue as an opposition whip without compromising the neutrality of the office.”
No candidates have yet officially declared their intention to stand, although Shadow Home Secretary David Davis is currently the favourite among bookmakers and the right of the party. Other possibilities are Ken Clarke, Liam Fox, Alan Duncan and David Cameron. There are currently no female names in the frame.
Michael Howard announced he would be standing down as leader immediately after the general election defeat, but is staying on until the October party conference.
