JOHN MAJOR took a gamble with his political career=20 because his party was divided. He triumphantly won the=20 gamble — but his party remains divided nevertheless.=20
This continuing paradox will cast a long shadow over=20 what is simply a sun-drenched political achievement: a=20 midsummer campaign launched in a rose garden nearly a=20 fortnight ago, clinched in a sweaty Westminster=20 corridor and consummated in a Cabinet reshuffle this=20
The result leaves Major both stronger and weaker than=20 he was before: stronger because he has unquestionably=20 won well, but weaker because it is now clear for all to=20 see that he leads two Conservative parties rather than=20
Yet by any normal standards Major has delivered the=20 goods. Not for the first time, his enemies (and perhaps=20 his supporters) have underestimated him, and not for=20 the first time he has made them look silly on polling=20 day. The result achieved his first and most necessary=20 objective: victory. For good or ill, it means he will=20 lead the party to the next election. It also achieved=20 the precious goal of being incontrovertible — though=20 only just. It ensured that Douglas Hurd’s last service=20 to his party would not be to present the re-elected=20 leader with a loaded revolver and invite him to do the=20 decent thing for the sake of the regiment. It put an=20 end to Michael Heseltine’s hope of ever becoming Prime=20 Minister (stocks in Kenneth Clarke as the next Tory=20 leader again suddenly seem a good investment). But,=20 above all, it called the bluff of the Conservative=20 right wing that they spoke for the majority of the=20 party. Major demanded that they should put up or shut=20 up. They put up. He will now expect them to shut up. To=20 paraphrase Attlee, a period of silence on their part=20 would now be most welcome.
But will it happen? Historically the Conservative Party=20 is an instinctive closer of ranks. The culture and=20 training of most Tories is to keep their differences to=20 themselves and to air them only cautiously and in code.=20 Yet those days may be going, if not gone.=20
So credit where it is due. That’s important. Yet let’s=20 also be frank. It is all a bit of a disappointment. It=20 leaves one of the most unpopular Conservative leaders=20 of all time in power for another stretch. It nips the=20 possibility of an early election in the bud. The=20 country is in the mood for new politics, new ideas and=20 new approaches. But Major does not offer any of that.=20 After 16 years it is difficult not to be impatient for=20 something more