LONDON, Nov 6: Eurosceptic Michael Howard was declared the new head of Britain’s main opposition Conservative party on Thursday after no one came forward to challenge him in a leadership race.

The announcement by a senior Tory member of parliament came eight days after Conservative MPs ousted Iain Duncan Smith as leader for failing to capitalize on Prime Minister Tony Blair’s sagging popularity.

Howard, 62, a former home secretary, has vowed he will lead the party “from the centre” while sticking to its core platform of lower taxes, more police and a skeptical view of the European Union.—AFP