London - Britain's opposition Conservative Party said yesterday it would delay the results of its leadership contest by one day as a mark of respect to the victims of attacks in the United States.
The outgoing leader, Mr William Hague, said that after consulting the leadership rivals, Mr Iain Duncan Smith and Mr Kenneth Clarke, he had decided to put back the announcement of the results until tomorrow.
"In the light of these events ... I have decided to cancel the party meeting which was scheduled to take place to brief the new party leader," Mr Hague said.
Voting in the contest between the pro-euro Mr Clarke and the Eurosceptic Mr Duncan Smith closed at midday yesterday. The leadership election was triggered by Mr Hague's resignation after the Conservatives were resoundingly defeated in June parliamentary elections by the Labour Party.