Conservatives: An interesting article on BBC reveals new evidence of the strong influence of national political party leaders over political parties in Britain.  The story concerns Michael Howard and the Conservative Party, who are in a campaign against Tony Blair's Labour Party which points to a May 5, 2005 general election.  Howard recently became angry when another Conservative MP, Howard Flight, suggested that a Conservative Government would cut public spending by sums greater than those mentioned in Conservative Party campaign materials.  Conservative Leader Howard then prevailed on Mr. Flight's constituency committee in Arundel to revoke Mr. Flight's nomination, effectively booting Flight from being able to be elected to the new parliament.  In contrast with the U.S. --where primary election voters select local nominees for national Congressional elections-- in the U.K. party leaders can exercise firm control over party nominations.

Labour: The case of George Galloway.

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