On the steps of the Thiepval Memorial under leaden French skies, Charles Dance recited a poem by Siegfried Sassoon; the Prince of Wales read an account of the bloodshed by John Masefield. The congregation sang Abide With Me. The Last Post was played. And as silence fell, poppies fluttered over the battlefield where 20,000 British and Empire soldiers lost their lives 100 years ago to the day.
The juxtaposition with the events back in England could hardly have been more jarring. Perhaps it did not cross the minds of those organising Mr Gove’s campaign that the timing of his leadership launch was inappropriate. News programmes, correctly, switched away from a question-and-answer session that Mr Gove was giving in order to broadcast from Thiepval. Some things are even more important than domestic politics.
Tribute to the men killed and wounded at the Battle of the SommePlay!00:48
This is not a small point because in choosing the next leader of the Conservative Party and, therefore, the next Prime Minister, MPs and activists need to consider the judgment and character of the individual candidates. Mr Gove’s brutal removal of Boris Johnson from the race has already called both into doubt. It has also raised serious questions over his ability to unite the party let alone a country divided by last week’s referendum result.
Moreover, in his speech Mr Gove made a case for change and said he was full of ideas. But the country is unlikely to welcome more upheaval and would prefer a period of stability while a new relationship with Europe is forged. Mr Gove has many talents: a fierce intelligence, an uncommon fluency, unfailing politeness and good humour. But are these sufficient for the times, which have changed utterly since last Friday?
Moreover, the manner of his split with Mr Johnson and the machinations around it are still murky. He led the London mayor to believe he would support his bid for the leadership only to renege on the promise at the last minute. As a result, he not only wrecked Mr Johnson’s hopes but inflicted a near-terminal blow on his own – since few in the party will trust him now. This was apparent by the flight to Theresa May of many senior party figures and by the fact that only five Tory MPs attended Mr Gove’s campaign launch.
Political values and direction matter, of course. The new Prime Minister will probably be in office until 2020, though an early election cannot be ruled out. The candidates must, therefore, stake out wider territory than just how to deal with Brexit. The vote reflected a deep popular malaise that has to do with a sense of powerlessness – economic and political – felt by millions of voters.
Boris Johnson appears to admit he has been betrayed by Michael GovePlay!02:00
But a disconcerted nation is not looking for intellectualism but leadership, a quality David Cameron possessed but which was destroyed by his referendum gamble. Who among the candidates can show it? Which of them can see Brexit as a great opportunity for Britain to retain its independence while keeping its trading connections with the EU? The two are not incompatible, and the fact that the financial markets have not panicked this week is a reassuring sign.
But there are straws in the wind. George Osborne, the Chancellor, yesterday dropped his target to run a budget surplus by 2020 and interest rates are set to fall soon to absorb the shocks. Postponing the London airport expansion decision shows a Government in a state of paralysis. People last week voted to leave the EU, not for political and economic shambles. Politicians now have a huge responsibility – the Tories in particular since Labour is mired in its own existential crisis – to fulfil the wishes of the referendum in a way that does not damage the country.
Obtaining a deal the EU will accept, while underpinning British prosperity, addressing immigration concerns and keeping the UK intact, will require a leader with skill, diplomacy, calmness under pressure and self-belief. Experience of high office or an established public profile are not essential provided a candidate possesses the right qualities. Frankly, voters will be bemused if neither of the two men who led the Brexit campaign appear on the final shortlist; but that is now a strong possibility. Indeed, a “coronation” of one candidate to avoid a damaging contest continuing through the summer is being touted by many supporters of Mrs May.
Conservative MPs will this weekend be talking to party members and voters, many of whom have been appalled by the antics they have witnessed. When they cast their votes in the leadership contest’s first round next week, they should have one thought in mind: is what I am doing in the best interests of the country?
Profile | Michael Gove
Photo: PA
Life in politics
2005:
First elected as an MP for Surrey Heath
2007:
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
2010:
Appointed Secretary of State for Education and overhauls the system by taking on teaching unions, expanding the academies programme and launching his free schools programme
2014:
Appointed Chief Whip
2015:
Becomes Secretary of State for Justice
Personal life
Born in 1967, Michael Gove was brought up by Labour-supporting adoptive parents in Aberdeen. After attending an independent school, he studied English at Oxford and had a career as a journalist before becoming an MP. He is married to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine, with whom he has two children.
Journalist and author
After working on local papers in Aberdeen, Mr Gove joined The Times in 1996 and also wrote for the Times Literary Supplement, Prospect magazine and the Spectator and has appeared on the BBC
Mr Gove's biography of Michael Portillo was published in 1995 while Celsius 7/7 was published in 2006
