1997 Conservative Party leadership election

1997 Conservative Party leadership election

← 1995 10–19 June 1997 (1997-06-10 – 1997-06-19) 2001 →

Candidate William Hague Kenneth Clarke John Redwood First ballot 41 (25.0%) 49 (29.9%) 27 (16.5%) Second ballot 62 (38.2%) 66 (40.7%) 34 (20.9%) Third ballot 92 (56.7%) 70 (43.2%) Eliminated

Leader before election John Major Elected Leader William Hague

The 1997 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered when John Major resigned as leader on 2 May 1997, following his party's landslide defeat at the 1997 general election, which ended 18 years of Conservative Government of the United Kingdom.^[1] Major had been Conservative leader and prime minister since November 1990.^[1]