The Conservative Party will overcome its divisions

IT is interesting to reflect upon the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith, Minister for Work and Pensions (“Duncan Smith quits over cuts”, The Herald, March 19), when considered in relation to other major resignations from Conservative government over the last 30 years or so.

In 1986 Michael Heseltine, Defence Secretary, after disagreements with Mrs Thatcher over the take-over of the struggling Westland helicopter company, left a meeting at 10 Downing Street and told a reporter that he had resigned. It has to be acknowledged that he was not without ambition to become Prime Minister himself.

In 1989 Nigel Lawson, Chancellor of the Exchequer, resigned over a prolonged lack of agreement with the Prime Minister and her personal adviser, Sir Alan Walters, about economic policy. There was concern at the time about the possible effects on the economy and the stock markets.

In 1990 Geoffrey Howe, then Deputy Prime Minister, previously Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary, made a resignation speech in the House of Commons, which was a devastating denunciation of Margaret Thatcher’s style of leadership and attitude to Europe , which was described as “foghorn diplomacy”. That speech was a major contributory factor in leading to the eventual downfall of Mrs Thatcher. Following all these resignations, the Conservative took the blows and came through wounded, yet resilient.

Arising from the issues surrounding the resignation of Mr Duncan Smith and the very public divisions over Europe, there is much speculation about a permanent split in the Conservative Party. I believe that past experience has shown that the party will again take the blows and come through wounded perhaps, yet remaining resilient. Ian W Thomson, 38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.