Gove stands for Conservative leadership

[claig]

Very good news. He has principles and integrity, a great mind, a great sense of humour as well as having conservative principles and progressive ones. I think he will win.

Murdoch and Dacre will probably back him.

[redshoeblueshoe]

I'm more shocked that Boris has ruled himself out !

[gettingtogreat]

Has Boris ruled himself out now?

Gosh it's all going on today!!

Love living in interesting times!

[AlcoChocs]

Very interesting times? Boris is plotting something.

[DrDreReturns]

I still think Theresa May will win. She's by far the best candidate IMO.
And I want a female PM!

[claig]

'I'm more shocked that Boris has ruled himself out'

Interesting, I just heard it. Didn't expect that, I think he was probably told he wouldn't get Murdoch and Dacre's backing and didn't stand a chance.

I hope he backs Gove.

[bonjournono]

Gove ruined the teaching profession. Let's hope he doesn't ruin the country.

[scarlets]

Realistically, this person will be PM for a long time, well past actual Brexit and probably past 2020 given that there's no credible opposition and the Conservatves are doing quite well in the polls. I hope they choose the right man or woman for the role. Momentous times.

[BMW6]

Hope it's Theresa May -
Clinton
Merkel
May
Eagle
Sturgeon (or Davison.....)

Here come the girls! Blimey!

[RortyCrankle]

Interesting, I would love to know why Boris has ruled himself out.

Out of Gove or May, I would personally prefer Gove - I think he will make an excellent PM.

[niceguy2]

BBC are reporting that it's because Gove has stabbed Boris in the back by running for the leadership meaning Boris doesn't think he can get the numbers.

[Girlgonewild]

May is well ahead.
I hope all mumsnetters will unite behind May. It is time we have another woman and May is very good indeed.

[Girlgonewild]

In fact read May in her own words

"Today I will launch my campaign to become the leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister of the United Kingdom. And I do so for three clear reasons.

First, following last week’s referendum, our country needs strong, proven leadership to steer us through this period of economic and political uncertainty, and to negotiate the best possible terms as we leave the European Union.

Second, we need leadership that can unite our party and our country. With the Labour Party tearing itself to pieces, and divisive nationalists in Scotland and Wales, it is the patriotic duty of the Conservative Party to unite and govern in the best interests of the whole country.

And third, we need a bold, new, positive vision for the future of our country — a vision of a country that works not for a privileged few but for everyone, regardless of who they are and regardless of where they’re from.

If you’re born poor in today’s Britain, you will die on average nine years earlier than others. If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white. If you’re a white, working-class boy, you’re less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university.

If you’re at a state school, you’re less likely to reach the top professions than if you’re educated privately. If you’re a woman, you still earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there’s too often not enough help to hand. If you’re young, you’ll find it harder than ever before to own your own home. These are all burning injustices, and I am determined to fight against them.

But the mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone goes further than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary, working-class family, life is just much harder than many people in politics realise. You have a job, but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about mortgage rates going up. You can just about manage, but you worry about the cost of living and the quality of the local school, because there’s no other choice for you.

Frankly, not everybody in Westminster understands what it’s like to live like this. And some need to be told that what the government does isn’t a game, it’s a serious business that has real consequences for people’s lives.

So I will be arguing in favour of a new and radical programme of social reform. This programme — true to my party’s proud philosophical tradition of One Nation — will include big changes to the way we think about our economy, our society and our democracy. We believe in capitalism and free markets, for example, because history has shown them to be the best way in which we spread opportunity and improve social mobility. But where capitalism is not helping to provide opportunity for all, where it is losing public support, where there are gross abuses of power, we need to reform it.

And we need to think differently about the role of the state. Instead of thinking of it always as the problem, we should acknowledge that often it is only the state that can provide solutions to the problems we face. So yes, the state needs to be small, but it needs to be strong.

We have to be clear that there is more to life, and more to Conservatism, than individualism. We have to cherish not just our older institutions but those that are younger too, like the BBC and the NHS. And we have to restore one of the oldest principles of Conservative philosophy — the contract between the generations — so that young people get a fair crack of the whip.

And we need to contemplate changes to the Conservative Party itself, because we can’t build a country that works for everybody unless we are truly a party that works for everybody.

This is the kind of Conservatism I’ve always stood for. And it is the kind of change I have always worked hard to make happen. As chairman of the Conservative Party, I was among the first to say we needed to change, to become more open, inclusive and representative of modern Britain. As a member of parliament, I played a part in helping more female Conservatives get elected than ever before.

As home secretary, I haven’t only overseen a fall in crime to its lowest recorded level, I have made it my mission to tackle injustice wherever I have found it. From Stephen Lawrence to Hillsborough, where there has been evidence of police corruption, I’ve exposed it. I’ve cut stop and search to its lowest ever level. I introduced the first ever Modern Slavery Act.

Under huge pressure from the United States, I blocked the extradition of Gary McKinnon. And when I was told I couldn’t deport Abu Qatada, I flew to Jordan and negotiated the treaty that got him out of Britain.

Under my leadership, the motives of the Conservative Party will never be in any doubt. We will put ourselves at the service of ordinary, working people and we will strive to make Britain a country that works for everyone, regardless of who they are and regardless of where they’re from."

[Tanaqui]

I loathe Gove- in my opinion he thinks he is much cleverer than he actually is. I would rather anyone else (except Farage). Pity Ruth Davisdon isn't a bit older.

[haddynuff]

Gove is mad. He has absolutely ruined education in this country. He is a highly ideological nutter.

May is at least sane.

[haddynuff]

And don't think a single non-Tory would ever vote for Gove.

If only I thought he had the balls to call an early general election, and if only Labour had anyone in charge who was even vaguely electable, I'd want Gove to take over now, just because he's the best chance we have of getting a Labour government this side of 2020.

He is so loathsome he makes my skin creep. He makes Cameron look entirely human and guy-next-door by comparison.

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

So are you Tory this week, then claig?

[BankWadger]

Claig if there were onne user I could block, you'd be it.

[spanky2]

Just when I thought it couldn't be worse than Cameron, it looked like Boris. Now it's not Boris which was bad it's now Gove! Awful! What is the world coming to? Gove has ruined teaching. Awful. I'm lost for words, which sadly he won't be. Never thought I'd miss David Cameron.

[niceguy2]

Cameron was the best of a bad bunch in the Tory party.

Gove as PM would just reinforce our position as the laughing stock of the world right now

[BombadierFritz]

Wtf claig? Didnt think gove would be your next hero of the people?

[claig]

I like Gove.I am for common sense and Gove is common sense.

The Bullingdon Club has lost , Gove and the people have won.

[BombadierFritz]

He is a complete idiot. Claig i am worried about your judgement today.

[DangerQuakeRhinoSnake]

May campaigned for Remain. Should she win, would she actually follow through with the referendum result?

[RortyCrankle]

Far too many on here getting carried away with May seemingly only because she has a vagina. It's a bit pathetic.

Claig I'm getting worried, more of your posts with which I totally agree. I've disagreed and fought against your posts for such a long time this is unnerving me

Gove for PM