Leader of Britain's opposition Conservative party Iain Duncan Smith attempted to shut down the Conservative leadership crisis on Monday night by giving his critics 48 hours to muster the 25 names they need to mount a challenge or call a halt to the plotting.
As dissident member of parliament (MPs) went to extraordinary lengths to register their "no confidence" letters without being identified, Duncan Smith denounced six weeks of leadership "fever" which had undermined the Conservative conference, new policies and attacks on British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour party.
"I believe, as the whole country believes, that there has been time enough for 25 MPs to make themselves known," he said "So if, by Wednesday night, the chairman of the 1922 Committee is in receipt of 25 names, I will seek to win a vote of confidence in my leadership."
That was a further hint that he intends to fight, not flee, though many MPs believe that is a bluff. Just as significant was his plea to rebels, as he also called in around 50 non-aligned backbenchers to persuade them of the futility of another bloody leadership contest.
"Equally, if the 25 names are not forthcoming, I will expect my party to call a halt to this most damaging episode," he said.
A growing number of Conservative MPs accept that the crisis is coming to a head. Though dissidents are adamant the leader cannot last, Duncan Smith supporters are taking comfort from the failure to muster the 25 names -- 15 percent of their total -- needed to trigger a vote, despite weeks of huffing and puffing.
Only two MPs, Derek Conway and Crispin Blunt, had admitted sending letters to Sir Michael Spicer, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, though John Greenway may have done.
Others were said to be posting their letters to Spicer, allegedly in double or triple-sealed envelopes, rather than going near his office or using Westminster's internal mail.
Loyalists still believe they may yet call their rivals' bluff, though one MP was said to be going to tell Duncan Smith before posting his letter. That would at least be acting in what the party leader calls an "honorable, honest and open way."
"If any colleagues consider me unfit to lead this party, I invite them to come and tell me why," Duncan Smith said. "So, between now and Wednesday my door will be open to anyone to tell me in person."
He plans to make a unity appeal to backbenchers at Wednesday's weekly meeting of the 1922 Committee. If 25 names do materialize -- twice that number are predicted by some MPs -- that speech may be too late to do much good.
Conway delivered his letter, unabashed, on camera.
"I think the parliamentary party has had enough. Iain has had two years to prove himself and he has palpably failed," he said.
Michael Howard, shadow chancellor and the bookies' favorite to succeed Duncan Smith if he fails to stem the tide, was aggressively loyal. "The one fact we know is that there are not 25 letters written by my parliamentary colleagues to Sir Michael Spicer. That's the only fact and it's the only relevant fact," he said on BBC Radio 4's World At One.
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