UK Conservatives oust Duncan Smith

Britain's once mighty Conservative party axed its leader yesterday in a desperate attempt to find someone capable of restoring its fortunes and challenging Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Iain Duncan Smith lost the vote of 165 Conservative members of parliament (MPs) by 90 votes to 75, winning the humiliating distinction of never even getting the chance to fight a general election.

"The parliamentary party has spoken, the announcement has been made and I will stand down as leader when a successor has finally been chosen," Duncan Smith told a huge gaggle of reporters outside his party's headquarters.

Duncan Smith had been widely regarded as one of the least impressive leaders of a right-wing party which dominated 20th Century British politics but which has been floundering ever since the heady days of Margaret Thatcher.

His last-ditch attempt to woo support with a passionate speech to his followers came to nought as they despaired of the 49-year-old former military officer's failure to capitalise on a terrible year for Blair.

The prime minister's public trust ratings have plunged after waging war on Iraq but all the polls suggest he will still inflict a third successive general election defeat on his foes, handing his Labour Party more than a decade in government.

Potential successors will now have to submit their names for a leadership contest by next Thursday. The first ballot on a new leader will take place on Tuesday, November 11.

Many back Michael Howard, the party's finance spokesman, a lawyer, former Cabinet minister and the bookmakers' clear favourite.

"It's very disappointing for Iain and I'm very sad for him, but as far as I'm concerned I'm in politics to win," Conservative MP Anthony Steen told Reuters. "We have to give another man or woman the chance to win."

According to party rules, MPs will elect two names that will then be put to party activists - a process that could take weeks.

But there is no obvious saviour for the party. Analysts say nobody is likely to get close to Blair at the next election.

"As things stand now, their chances of winning the general election... approach what physicists call absolute zero," said Anthony King, professor of government at Essex University.

Duncan Smith was not supported by a majority of Conservative parliamentarians when he won the leadership in 2001. He won with the support of generally ageing rank-and-file members as a compromise candidate.