An unashamed Thatcherite, Liam Fox might have done better in the 2005 leadership contest, had Cameron not outflanked him on Europe with his promise to withdraw from the mainstream centre-right EU grouping, the European People’s Party. Fox appeals to the old, right-wing, “hang ’em and flog ’em” brigade, who will stand firm against any defence cuts planned by the Tory leader. An über-hawk, Fox is likely to urge Cameron to take military action against Iran. Though it is unlikely he will overtly undermine Cameron while remaining on the front bench, Fox sees himself as a possible future leader, and would certainly stand next time there is a vacancy. In the meantime, he is a danger to the party’s leadership because he will seek to pull it further to the right.
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