Britain's once mightyConservative party axed its leader this evening in a desperateattempt to find someone capable of restoring its fortunes andchallenging Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair. Mr Iain Duncan Smith lost the vote of 165 Conservative MPs by 90 votes to 75, winning the humiliatingdistinction of never even getting the chance to fight a generalelection.
"The parliamentary party has spoken, the announcement hasbeen made and I will stand down as leader when a successor hasfinally been chosen," Mr Duncan Smith told a huge gaggle ofreporters outside his party's headquarters.
Mr Duncan Smith had been widely regarded as one of the leastimpressive leaders of a right-wing party which dominated 20thCentury British politics but which has been floundering eversince the heady days of Mrs Margaret Thatcher.
His last-ditch attempt to woo support with a passionatespeech to his followers came to nought as they despaired of the49-year-old former military officer's failure to capitalise ona terrible year for Mr Blair.
The prime minister's public trust ratings have plungedafter waging war on Iraq but all the polls suggest he willstill inflict a third successive general election defeat on hisfoes, handing his Labour Party more than a decade ingovernment.
Potential successors will now have to submit their namesfor a leadership contest by next Thursday. The first ballot ona new leader will take place on Tuesday, November 11th.
Many back Mr Michael Howard, the party's finance spokesman, alawyer, former Cabinet minister and the bookmakers' clearfavourite.
"It's very disappointing for Iain and I'm very sad for him,but as far as I'm concerned I'm in politics to win," Conservative MP Mr Anthony Steen told reporters. "We have to give another man or woman the chance to win."
According to party rules, MPs will elect two names thatwill then be put to party activists - a process that couldtake weeks.
But there is no obvious saviour for the party. Analysts saynobody is likely to get close to Mr Blair at the next election.
"As things stand now, their chances of winning the generalelection...approach what physicists call absolute zero," saidMr Anthony King, professor of government at Essex University.
Mr Duncan Smith was not supported by a majority ofConservative parliamentarians when he won the leadership in2001. He won with the support of generally ageing rank-and-filemembers as a compromise candidate.
Party heavyweights may strive to find one candidate tounite behind in order to prevent the grassroots getting anotherchoice.
"I hope there won't be a battle. I think they'll agreeamong themselves to have one candidate," said Conservative MPMr James Gray, adding that he put his money on Mr Howard.