1999 Welsh Conservatives leadership election

none October 2024 October 2024 1999 Welsh Conservatives leadership election presidential no 1998 Welsh Conservatives leadership election 1998 2011 Welsh Conservatives leadership election 2011 11–18 August 1999 Bourne, Nick (53965497508).jpg Nick Bourne Unopposed Leader Nick Bourne (pro tempore);previously Rod RichardsRichards announced his temporary resignation on 5 August, appointing his deputy David TC Davies to serve as acting leader until his return. This was overruled at a meeting of the Welsh Conservative Group and senior Welsh Conservatives on 10 August, with Nick Bourne elected to serve as acting leader instead. Richards then announced his permanent resignation in response, stating that his leadership and authority had been "undermined" by their decision to replace Davies with Bourne, and that as a result he had "no choice" but to step down. Nick Bourne All nine members of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales Five The 1999 Welsh Conservatives leadership election was held in August 1999 to elect the leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales. The election was triggered by the resignation of Rod Richards after the Welsh Conservative Party failed to endorse his appointment of David TC Davies as acting leader after Richards was charged for inflicting grievous bodily harm, which he was later cleared of in 2000. Nick Bourne, who the party had appointed as acting leader in Davies' place, was elected unopposed as the new leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly as the only candidate nominated for the leadership by group members. Richards, seen as the more radical candidate, had defeated Bourne, seen as the more moderate candidate, at the previous leadership election in 1998. After Richards was charged for inflicting grievous bodily harm in August 1999, he stood down temporarily as leader and appointed Davies, who was seen as his protégé, as acting leader on 5 August. This appointment was overruled by a meeting of senior party figures with the other, more moderate group members on 10 August, with Bourne elected as acting leader of the group in Davies' place. Richards then resigned permanently, with Bourne elected unopposed as the new leader on 18 August. As leader, he moved the Welsh Conservative Party in a more moderate direction, changing its stance to accept devolution and developing a distinctly Welsh approach for the party. The next leadership election would be held in 2011 after he lost his seat at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election. His successor Andrew RT Davies continued his strategy of making the party more supportive of devolution but also adopted a more populist approach as leader. Background left|thumb|Rod Richards was elected leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales in 1998 Before 1997, the Conservative Party in Wales had little independence from the UK party, both in the context of policy-making and identity. In the 1990s, the party campaigned against the Labour Party's proposals to introduce a devolved legislature for Wales, arguing that this would lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom.Gamble Andrew https://books.google.com/books?id=jhssEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA222 After Brexit and Other Essays 28 April 2021 Policy Press 978-1-5292-1709-4 222–223 en The Constitutional Revolution in the UK 7 July 2024 After Labour's landslide victory in the 1997 general election, the new Labour government decided to hold a devolution referendum in Wales in September 1997, which returned a narrow majority in favour of devolution.6 May 2024 Welsh devolution at 25: Reflecting on 25 years since the first Senedd election https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-05-06/welsh-devolution-at-25-reflecting-on-25-years-since-the-first-senedd-election 8 July 2024 ITV News Following the referendum, UK Conservative party leader William Hague instituted constitutional reforms to democratize the party in 1998, reorganising the party in Wales as the Welsh Conservative Party and giving it limited autonomy from the wider UK party.Melding David David Melding https://www.iwa.wales/wp-content/media/2016/03/willbritainsurvive.pdf Will Britain Survive Beyond 2020? Institute of Welsh Affiars 2007 978-1-904773-43-6 177–178 23 May 2024 In October and November 1998, a leadership election was held in the Welsh Conservative Party to elect the leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales ahead of the first assembly election in 1999.14 October 1998 Tory battle over Welsh job https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/193339.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News10 November 1998 Welsh Tories choose ex-minister https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/211472.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News Two candidates stood for the position. Academic Nick Bourne, the party's chief spokesman for Wales and a leader of the unsuccessful Just Say NO campaign in the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum, was widely seen as the preferred candidate of UK party leader William Hague6 August 1999 Rod Richards: A career profile https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/413392.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News and was considered the more moderate candidate, cautiously accepting the implementation of devolution.4 April 2003 Bourne leader at the second attempt https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2906937.stm 23 May 2024 BBC NewsHough Dan https://books.google.com/books?id=cj7LQHiITqQC&pg=PA233 Devolution and Electoral Politics Jeffery Charlie 28 May 2006 Manchester University Press 978-0-7190-7330-4 233 en Former MP Rod Richards, known for his combative style of politics and anti-devolutionist views, was seen as the more radical right-wing Thatcherite candidate. Richards was elected leader of the Welsh Conservative Group by the Welsh party membership and became the first to serve in this position after the assembly's creation in 1999.Shipton Martin 14 July 2019 Conservative politician Rod Richards dies after long battle with cancer https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/conservative-politician-rod-richards-dead-16582523 23 May 2024 Wales Online However, his relationship with Bourne became strained as a result of the election. Under Rod Richards' leadership, the Welsh Conservatives adopted a strategy of opposing devolution and emphasising British identity.Torrance David https://books.google.com/books?id=da1vAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 Whatever Happened to Tory Scotland? 31 October 2021 Edinburgh University Press 978-0-7486-7044-4 128, 132 en 23 May 2024 Richards led the party into the first assembly election, where the Conservatives won enough seats to become the third-largest party behind Plaid Cymru.16 August 1999 Tories seek place in new Wales https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/417805.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News This was disappointing for the party, which won nine seats but had expected beforehand to become the second-largest party behind Labour instead. Richards announced his frontbench team shortly after. All nine Conservative assembly members (AMs) were given portfolios, with his campaign manager David TC Davies becoming his deputy leader and the party's chief whip1 September 1999 People in the Assembly: David Davies https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/uk/wales/13013.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News and Bourne becoming the party's spokesperson for finance.13 May 1999 How the opposition cabinets line up https://www.newspapers.com/image/924200265 24 May 2024 South Wales Echo As leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales, Richards eschewed the more collaborative and consensual style of politics envisioned for the assembly and instead adopted an oppositional approach toward its other parties.1 July 1999 In search of consensus https://www.economist.com/britain/1999/07/01/in-search-of-consensus 24 May 2024 The Economist Richards' resignation thumb|Richards appointed his deputy David TC Davies as acting leader after his temporary resignation Two months into his leadership in the assembly,Mulholland Hélène 18 April 2007 'Devolution means we do things differently' https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/apr/18/wales.devolution 24 May 2024 The Guardian Richards was arrested and charged for inflicting grievous bodily harm to a 22-year-old woman in Kew, London, on 22 July 1999. He was released on bail, pending a court hearing on 8 September.6 August 1999 GBH allegation untrue, says Welsh Tory https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/413157.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News8 September 1999 Richards bailed on GBH charge https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/441456.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News Richards denied the charges but left his role as leader of the Welsh Conservative Group on 5 August for a temporary period to focus on his defence, promising to return once he had proved his innocence.Sengputa Kim 5 August 1999 Leading Tory charged with GBH https://www.independent.co.uk/news/leading-tory-charged-with-gbh-1110846.html 24 May 2024 The Independent6 August 1999 Welsh Conservative leader denies assault https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/413752.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News Richards appointed David TC Davies, who was his deputy leader, as acting leader to lead the group in his absence.6 August 1999 Special Report: Welsh Tories https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/414006.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News Considered to be his protégé, Richards wanted Davies to serve as his successor should he officially resign from the leadership and he tried to prevent Bourne from succeeding him instead.14 April 2004 Outspoken AM 'in a minority of one' https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/outspoken-am-in-minority-one-2440863 26 May 2024 Wales Online8 February 2000 Tory AM's 'conspiracy' claim https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/634527.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News14 July 2019 Former Welsh Conservative leader Rod Richards dies aged 72 https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2019-07-14/former-welsh-conservative-leader-rod-richards-dies-aged-72 10 June 2024 ITV News The appointment of Davies as acting leader, who was 29 years old at the time, proved controversial with other members of the Welsh Conservative Group, who claimed he was "too inexperienced" to lead the party. According to The Independent, some members of the group were thought to have preferred to install Bourne as acting leader instead.Waugh Paul 6 August 1999 Welsh Tories in turmoil after leader's GBH charge https://www.independent.co.uk/news/welsh-tories-in-turmoil-after-leader-s-gbh-charge-1111155.html 24 May 2024 The Independent The other members of the group were more moderate than Davies and Richards, and Bourne's supporters in the group thought it was time for the party to move in a more moderate direction under Bourne as the new leader.Schaefer Sarah 10 August 1999 Richards quits for good after his stand-in choice is rejected https://www.independent.co.uk/news/richards-quits-for-good-after-his-standin-choice-is-rejected-1112013.html 24 May 2024 The IndependentOsmond John https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/sites/constitution-unit/files/wadec99.pdf Devolution: 'A Dynamic, Settled Process'? December 1999 Institute of Welsh Affairs Monitoring the National Assembly: July to December 1999 39 24 May 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20231220232437/https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/sites/constitution-unit/files/wadec99.pdf 20 December 2023 A leadership election within the group to determine whether to re-elect Richards as leader had already been scheduled for November, but his premature temporary resignation meant that the UK party was now considering whether to push it forward to August.9 August 1999 Welsh Tories discuss election options https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/414949.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News Richards' decision to appoint Davies without consulting the other members of the group angered some of its members, who favoured choosing their own leader over Davies. On 6 August, these members convened a meeting of some of the group's members, including Bourne's supporters, to discuss Davies' appointment as acting leader. The members who attended this meeting included Bourne, Alun Cairns, Jonathan Morgan, Glyn Davies and David Melding. Although the attendees agreed to favour an alternative appointment to the leadership, they could not come to a final decision on the matter. It was decided to wait until the return of the other group members including Davies from their holidays so that another meeting could be held on the issue. Richards dismissed any suggestions of infighting within the Welsh Conservative Group and claimed to enjoy "a lot of support, not just from my own group but from throughout Wales". Another meeting was held on 10 August to determine if the Welsh Conservatives should hold an early leadership election to elect a new leader. In attendance were senior members of the Welsh Conservatives, including all members of the Welsh Conservative Group and Nigel Evans, the UK party spokesperson on Welsh affairs.Cordon Gavin 11 August 1999 Top Welsh Tory resigns after dispute over stand-in https://www.newspapers.com/image/851301094 26 May 2024 The Birmingham Post Richards appealed to the other attendees of the meeting to endorse Davies as his deputy leader and as acting leader.11 August 1999 Welsh Tory leader resigns https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/415784.stm 26 May 2024 BBC NewsWatt Nicholas 11 August 1999 Welsh Tory walks out https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/aug/11/uk.politicalnews1 26 May 2024 The Guardian He then left the meeting, leaving them to decide whether to endorse Davies or not. In response to the allegations against Richards, the party leadership chose to endorse Bourne for the position of acting leader rather than Davies at the meeting. This move was backed by the other members of the group, who reiterated the claim that Davies was "too inexperienced" to lead the party. The other attendees of the meeting then elected Bourne as the new acting leader. In a statement published not long after Richards' departure from the meeting, the members declared that Bourne was now the new acting leader of the group. Richards then announced his permanent resignation as leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales, stating that his leadership and authority had been "undermined" by their decision to replace Davies with Bourne, and that as a result he had "no choice" but to step down. Campaign As a result of Richards' resignation, Conservative Central Office announced that a new leadership election would have to be held for the party in Wales to elect a new permanent leader of the Welsh Conservative Group. Bourne put forward his nomination for the leadership to Conservative Central Office on 11 August 1999.11 August 1999 Bourne nominated for Welsh Tory leadership https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/417001.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News The party then opened the nominations process for other potential challengers to stand for the leadership.12 August 1999 Leadership bid https://www.newspapers.com/image/923549874 23 May 2024 South Wales Echo Under the nominations process, nominations had to be signed from at least three of the nine party AMs and submitted to the chief whip David TC Davies to be considered valid. According to a spokesman representing Bourne, five of the nine AMs in the Conservative Group had already signed his nomination. Henri Lloyd Davies, chair of the Welsh Conservative Party, announced that nominations would remain open for seven days.Hazlewood Richard 11 August 1999 Bourne takes over after Tory leader Rod resigns https://www.newspapers.com/image/923549548 23 May 2024 South Wales Echo If only one candidate was nominated by the closure of nominations on 18 August, they had to have the support of at least two-thirds of party AMs before they could be elected unopposed as the new leader. According to the South Wales Echo, Bourne was expected to be the only contender for the leadership, allowing him to be elected unopposed. The paper's political correspondent Richard Hazlewood said the nominations process was widely seen in the party as just a formality to install Bourne as the official leader of the Welsh Conservative Group. On 12 August, the South Wales Evening Post described him as the favourite to win the election.12 August 1999 Leadership fight starts https://www.newspapers.com/image/1006748390 23 May 2024 South Wales Evening Post According to BBC News, he had secured the support of most of the Conservative AMs by 16 August, not including Richards or his deputy David TC Davies.16 August 1999 Welsh Tories await leadership decision https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/422004.stm 23 May 2024 BBC News On 13 August, Davies said he would support whoever was elected as the new leader, but added that he felt "disappointed" by his colleagues for claiming that he was inexperienced ahead of his dismissal as acting leader.13 August 1999 'Disappointed' by comments https://www.newspapers.com/image/923550528 23 May 2024 South Wales Echo Results thumb|After the closure of nominations on 18 August, Nick Bourne was elected unopposed as the new leader After the closure of nominations on 18 August, Davies as chief whip announced that Bourne was the only person nominated for the leadership. He therefore declared that Bourne was elected unopposed as leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales.19 August 1999 A new era as Bourne named as Tory leader https://www.newspapers.com/image/923552757 23 May 2024 South Wales EchoHazlewood Richard 19 August 1998 Tory leader promises Labour hot times ahead https://www.newspapers.com/image/923552406 23 May 2024 South Wales Echo19 August 1999 City man Nick is new Tory leader https://www.newspapers.com/image/1006742404 23 May 2024 South Wales Evening Post Bourne praised Davies for his conduct during the election and gave him a new role as the member of the Welsh Conservative frontbench responsible for policy presentation. Bourne pledged to hold the Labour administration to account and to focus his party in the assembly on issues relating to farming, the Welsh NHS and European aid. He also said the Conservatives would argue "for a distinctive Welsh policy ... on all sorts of issues". He reshuffled other posts in the Conservative frontbench in the assembly on 25 August, abolishing the deputy leadership post held by Davies while making him the new environment spokesperson. Richards was not given a post in Bourne's new frontbench team, making him the only Conservative AM to serve as a backbencher, though Bourne promised to appoint him to it at a later date once he was cleared of his allegations of assault.25 August 1999 Bourne snubs Richards in cabinet https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/429349.stm 23 May 2024 BBC NewsNifield Phillip 25 August 1999 New Welsh Tory leader's 'cabinet' reshuffle https://www.newspapers.com/image/923555230 23 May 2024 South Wales Echo Aftermath Richards was the first of several assembly party leaders who resigned within a year of the National Assembly for Wales' creation in 1999, followed by Labour's Alun Michael and Plaid Cymru's Dafydd Wigley. These resignations reflected the instability of the newly established institution in the first year of its existence.Osmond John https://books.google.com/books?id=vaQVAQAAIAAJ Birth of Welsh Democracy: The First Term of the National Assembly for Wales Jones James Barry Institute of Welsh Affairs 2003 978-1-871726-94-7 20 en 24 May 2024 Richards continued to serve as a Conservative backbencher in the National Assembly until February 2000, when members of the Welsh Conservative Group decided to suspend the whip from him for abstaining in a vote on a draft budget for the assembly in December; Conservative AMs were whipped to vote against the draft budget.Gibbs Geoffrey 9 February 2000 Tory's outburst after losing party whip https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/feb/09/thatcher.uk1 24 May 2024 The GuardianWilliams James 30 July 2019 Rod Richards: Outspoken former Tory leader in Wales who did not pull his punches https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/rod-richards-death-welsh-tory-leader-assembly-conservatives-obituary-a9025376.html 24 May 2024 The Independent In response to his suspension, Richards called Bourne a "prat" during an assembly session and hosted a press conference where he accused most members of the Welsh Conservative Group of having taken part in a conspiracy to remove him as leader.16 July 2019 Rod Richards obituary https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/rod-richards-obituary-sgr58l7m9 24 May 2024 The Daily Telegraph He defended his former deputy David TC Davies, claiming that he was not involved in the alleged conspiracy, but denounced the seven other AMs in the group as Nick Bourne's "malevolent seven", describing the meeting where they voted to suspend him as a "kangaroo court".Roderick Vaughan Vaughan Roderick https://books.google.com/books?id=Q0xxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT19 Vaughan Roderick: Pen ar y Bloc 12 January 2018 Y Lolfa 978-1-78461-518-5 19 cy Vaughan Roderick: Head on the Bloc 26 May 2024 Richards continued to sit in the assembly as an Independent Conservative before retiring from the institution in 2002, and he was cleared of all charges related to the grievous bodily harm accusations in June 2000.Hartley-Brewer Julia Julia Hartley-Brewer 24 June 2000 Ex-Tory minister cleared of assault https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jun/24/juliahartleybrewer 24 May 2024 The Guardian23 June 2000 Rod Richards cleared of assault https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/799298.stm 24 May 2024 BBC News Under Bourne's leadership the Conservatives in Wales, now under the control of a more moderate faction that generally accepted devolution, saw a significant change to their political strategy as compared to under Richards, with Bourne working with the Welsh Conservatives' main adviser on policy David Melding to make the party more distinctly Welsh in identity and generally supportive of devolution.Blaxland Sam Welsh Conservatives: Far From a Contradiction in Terms https://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/planet-extra/welsh-conservatives-far-contradiction-term 23 May 2024 Planet ExtraConvery Alan https://books.google.com/books?id=8Wy5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT104 The territorial Conservative Party: Devolution and party change in Scotland and Wales 15 July 2016 Manchester University Press 978-1-5261-0054-2 104 23 May 2024Livingstone Tomos 30 March 2016 Welsh Assembly election: Conservative devolution vision https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-35916777 23 May 2024 BBC News The change in leadership also enabled the Welsh party to adopt a more moderate policy programme and become more collaborative with other parties in the assembly, in line with its more consensual system of politics. The party gradually moderated its policies on issues such as education and health, rejecting the calls for private outsourcing made by the Conservatives in England and calling for increased funding of public services, and came to commit itself to a distinctly Welsh approach different to that of the wider UK party.Convery Alan 2014 Welsh Conservatism: The Unexpected Evolution https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/files/19864106/Convery_A._2014_._Welsh_Conservatism.pdf British Politics Review University of Edinburgh 9 4 10–11 23 May 2024Greer Scott L. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-01/devolving-policy-diverging-values-web-final.pdf Devolving Policy, Diverging Values?: The Values of the United Kingdom's National Health Services Rowland David The Nuffield Trust 2007 978-1-905030-29-3 39 23 May 2024 Richards opposed Bourne's reforms to the Welsh Conservatives and later criticised them in 2011 as having "achieved nothing in terms of taking the party forward. All it's about is sucking up to Plaid Cymru."7 May 2011 Bourne's 'bittersweet' night as he loses seat after 11 year https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/bournes-bittersweet-night-loses-seat-1831809 24 May 2024 Wales Online Bourne continued to serve as the leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales until he lost his seat at the 2011 assembly election.6 May 2011 Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne loses regional seat https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-13305161 23 May 2024 BBC News Mid WalesWilliamson David 1 August 2013 Former Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne among 30 new peers appointed to House of Lords https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-welsh-conservative-leader-nick-5395827 23 May 2024 Wales Onlinethumb|Andrew RT Davies was elected leader in 2011 and continued Bourne's strategy of supporting devolution The events and aftermath of the leadership election led to a lasting enmity between Richards and Bourne which caused a factional split in the Welsh Conservative Group between those who supported Bourne and the more Eurosceptic AMs in the group; this spilled over into the 2001 UK Conservative Party leadership election, with Bourne's faction supporting the more pro-European candidate Kenneth Clarke and the other faction supporting the more Eurosceptic candidate Iain Duncan Smith.Cracknell David Bentham Martin 26 August 2001 Divided they stand https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1338562/Divided-they-stand.html 24 May 2024 The Telegraph The next Welsh Conservatives leadership election would be held in 2011, with Andrew RT Davies defeating Nick Ramsay to succeed Bourne as leader of the Welsh Conservative Group.Quinn Thomas https://books.google.com/books?id=rvK9hZWRPLEC&pg=PT134 Electing and Ejecting Party Leaders in Britain 7 February 2012 Springer 978-0-230-36278-9 134 en 23 May 2024 Davies continued Bourne's strategy of making the Welsh party more supportive of devolution but also took on a more populist approach.Scully Roger 27 June 2018 What does Andrew RT Davies' resignation mean for Welsh Tories? https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/what-does-andrew-rt-davies-resignation-mean-for-welsh-tories/ 23 May 2024 The Spectator See also 1999 Welsh Labour leadership election Welsh Liberal Democrats inaugural Assembly group election Notes and references Notes References Welsh Conservatives leadership election 1999 Welsh Conservatives leadership election 1999 Category:Uncontested political party leadership elections in the United Kingdom