Michael Gove’s name is being muttered in parliamentary tea rooms, figuratively at least. The leak of his plans to replace GCSEs with a rigorous exam is opium to many Tories. Gove is well liked on the backbenches and within the party. And he also commands respect, being one of the few ministers who is not mired in catastrophe, although that may change as the pressure on primary school places increases and his opponents gain in voice.
Odds on a Gove leadership are shortening, even though Gove is adamant that he does not seek the office. Even so, there might be overwhelming demand for him to stand. Tim Montgomerie writes in today’s Mail:
Michael Portillo took a similar line on This Week last night, saying:‘One day, some time in the future, this brave politician might well be the kind of leader that the Conservative Party chooses and the nation craves.’
‘He knows what he wants and he knows what he’s about. And these are things that people crave.’
Gove’s clear convictions seem to set him apart, making him easily definable to the electorate. This can, of course, work both for and against him. It is a characteristic that he shares with Boris Johnson, whose clarity on Europe, among things, make him emerge from the crowd. Another question to consider is, will the impressive and independent 2010 intake, of whom James has written in this week’s magazine, look to a member of the old guard or to one of their own number for leadership in the future?
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