Political parties
As Conservative Party leader John Major embarks on a nationwide tour to boost the party's electoral chances, gloomy retail news and economic indicators are mounting pressure on Chancellor Kenneth Clarke to deliver a giveaway Budget. Despite Clarke's efforts to play down expectations, Major and his allies
Political parties
Labour leaders are worried that Prime Minister John Major may turn the Conservative Party back into an effective electoral machine, and are keeping close tabs on Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine's activities. Party staff are monitoring Heseltine's statements and movements, suspecting that he is working almost
Political parties
The Australian Federal Government and opposition coalition have clashed over the future of national phone carrier Telstra, with each side accusing the other of hypocrisy and dishonesty in their promises regarding privatization. The debate comes ahead of the upcoming Australian federal election, with both parties weighing in on the potential
Political parties
The Socialist Party in Greece, led by 76-year-old Andreas Papandreou, faces mounting internal strife and discontent, threatening its very survival. The party's ethics committee has dismissed a prominent MP, Kyriakos Spiriounis, for criticizing Papandreou and his wife, Dimitra Liani, over her bid to enter politics. The move has
Political parties
Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama kept his party well-represented in a Cabinet shuffle on Tuesday, amidst speculation about his resignation following weak party prospects in July's upper house elections. Despite setbacks for the ruling Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDPJ) and the three-party coalition, the SDPJ surprisingly gained
Political parties
Voters in Japan's upper house elections stayed away from the polls in record numbers, leading to disappointing results for the ruling coalition government, led by Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. Despite the coalition securing a bare majority, the Socialists, a key party in the coalition, won just 16 seats,
Political parties
The coalition government in Japan was thrown into turmoil after the Social Democratic Party of Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama suffered a crushing defeat in the Upper House elections, losing two-thirds of the seats it was contesting. Despite the setback, the coalition leaders announced that Murayama would retain his job, sparking
Prime ministers
As John Major's leadership faces a test, conservative party rules have created a pathway for a challenger to come forward, with at least 140 Tory MPs required to force a second ballot. The election has been brought forward, in part, due to disagreements within the party over Europe,
Prime ministers
British Prime Minister John Major has successfully retained his position as leader of the Conservative Party after winning the party leadership election with two-thirds of the vote. The election, which saw Major's challenger John Redwood concede defeat, highlights the ongoing divisions within the party over European policy. Key
Prime ministers
Michael Heseltine, the British Trade and Industry Secretary, is the only potential Conservative Party leader who can improve his party's electoral prospects, according to a recent poll. The MORI/On-Line poll of 1,002 adults shows that if any Tory leader other than Heseltine took over the leadership,
Prime ministers
John Redwood, a right-wing government minister, has resigned from the British Cabinet to challenge Prime Minister John Major for the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party. Redwood's decision comes after Major announced his plan to resign as party leader and hold new leadership elections, a move seen as
Prime ministers
Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin negotiated an agreement with Chechen leader Shamil Basayev to end the hostilities in Chechnya in exchange for the release of 200 hostages. The agreement marked a significant shift in Russia's approach to the six-month war against the breakaway republic. The crisis began when
