Has George Osborne cleared the way for David Cameron?

In this morning’s Telegraph 33-year-old George Osborne announces that he won't be seeking the Tory leadership.

Many thinks that this clears the way for David Cameron, the party's other rising star, to be the unopposed candidate and standard-bearer for a more modern and contemporary Conservative Party.

Mr Osborne told The Telegraph:

“There has been some media speculation about what I would do but I am making it clear I will not be a candidate. I have a big enough job being shadow chancellor, opposing Gordon Brown and developing an economic policy that broadens the appeal of the Conservative Party.”

Mr Osborne's decision to reveal his hand will only increase questioning of David Cameron about his intentions. If he refuses to rule out the possibility of standing people will assume that he intends to.

Comments

[Peter O]

Can Cameron actually do it? My gut feeling is that the election of a Notting Hill moderniser, simply for the sake of having a moderniser, is doomed to failure. The party needs to elect someone to promote a platform that they actually believe in. Does anybody know what Cameron actually believes in?

[Edward]

Mmm

Best thing for Cameron would probably be to combine with Osborne and back Davis. Keep both wings of the party behind one heavyweight is the only way forward.

[Michael McGowan]

No-one knows what Cameron actually stands for and he would be well-advised to hold back and support a heavyweight. It would also be decidedly odd for a Party which is trying to present a modern face to the electorate to pick a leader who is an Old Etonian. I have nothing against Old Etonians but remember Harold Wilson's jibes at the expense of Alec Douglas-Home? Gordon Brown must be rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of squaring up to Cameron at the next election.

On a related note, I gather that Francis Maude and Andrew Mackay are planning a Pol Pot-like purge of the candidates list. As a former Tory Party member and voter, it strikes me as astonishing that such lacklustre characters as Maude and Mackay should be in charge of an image makeover for the Tory Party. Neither excatly resonates with the public... unlike say Ken Clarke or Boris Johnson. They also kid themselves if they think that there are many talented people who regard a Tory MP's job as something to aspire to.