UK News 12-05-2005 who: Michael Howard what: To stand down as Tory leader after Party conference when: October snippet: "Mr Howard confirmed that he had rejected calls to stay on as a caretaker leader for up to 18 months to allow the party more time to choose a successor," says The Telegraph, "and was sticking to his original intention to quit by the end of the year. `I hope we will have a new leader by Christmas,` he said." The Guardian says "William Hague has turned down the offer of a return to frontline politics by declining the chance to become shadow chancellor". Instead, the post goes to 33 year-old George Osborne. The Mirror tips Nicholas Soames - "all 25st and 13 chins of him" - as the Party`s future leader. [... more]

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