UK News 29-10-2003 D-Day For What`s His Name who: Iain Duncan Smith what: Finds little support from newspapers on day of confidence vote where: LONDON when: Today snippet: "Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has said he will fight the vote of confidence in his leadership after 25 Conservative MPs forced a ballot," says The Evening Standard. "Mr Duncan Smith made his declaration on the steps of Conservative Central Office, flanked by deputy leader Michael Ancram, shadow chancellor Michael Howard, shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin and party chairman Theresa May, all of whom have been tipped as possible contenders in a future leadership contest." The voting will begin this afternoon and the result will be announced at 7pm. More than 60 will need to vote against Mr Duncan Smith to force a leadership election and if that happens he has vowed to fight on. "Whatever their individual views, all 165 MPs are agreed that the current state of affairs cannot continue," says The Telegraph. "One way or another, all of them, including Mr Duncan Smith himself, know that the leadership crisis must be settled." The leader doesn`t seem to have any supporters min the press. "Mr Duncan Smith lacks nothing in decency and courage, but much in dignity," writes Simon Jenkins of The Times. "He was neither born great nor did he achieve greatness in office. When greatness was thrust upon him in 2001, he could not handle it." "Iain Duncan Smith was a lame duck yesterday and he will be a dead duck today," predicts The Mirror`s Paul Routledge. "Tory MPs will oust him in a vote of no confidence, paving the way for the third Conservative Party leadership contest in less than three years. This is the natural order of things. Tory bloodlust for power takes no prisoners. Baldilocks was not delivering the goods and he had to go." [... more]

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