raised from other sources to be deducted from the money they receive from the Party Treasurer. This proposal was put to the 1922 Committee on 15 May 2005, but rejected. About 100 of the 180 backbenchers that attended the meeting instead endorsed a motion drawn up by the executive of the committee, proposing instead to hold a consultative period with all local associations, but leave the choice of leader to be ultimately decided by the parliamentary party. Revised proposals for electing a new leader Under the 1922 Committee's proposed system, Sir Michael Spicer, Chairman of the 1922 Committee, would seek nominations for leader from Conservative MPs. Contenders would need the support of 5% of the party, or 10 MPs (in the 2005 Parliament), in order to stand. Once nominations had closed, MPs would then start a two-week consultation process with their constituencies, MEPs and local councillors to ascertain their preferred candidates. They would then report back to Spicer, who would assess their findings and inform MPs of the two candidates who had gained the most support, in order of preference. MPs would then hold the first ballot, in which all nominated candidates would be able to participate. As in the existent system, the MP with the lowest number of votes would be eliminated. The process would then be repeated, as required, until one candidate remained. Andrew Tyrie, the Conservative MP for Chichester, hailed the decision by the parliamentary party to accept the new proposal by 127 votes to 50 at the 20 July 2005 meeting of the 1922 committee as a "victory for common sense". The 1922 Committee proposal was then put to the Conservative Party Board, which duly supported it. Following this result, Party Chairman Francis Maude commented: "I am pleased that these changes, agreed by the Party Board and the 1922 Committee, are going to be put forward. If these changes go through, the Conservative Party will have a new Leader in place by the middle of November." However, other MPs were less enthusiastic about the proposed system; in a letter to the Daily Telegraph, a number of MPs, including David Willetts, Michael Ancram, Andrew Lansley, Theresa May and Iain Duncan Smith, wrote: "It is not too late for the parliamentary party to find a way of involving grassroots members in the Conservative Party’s most important decisions. Any proposals that do not facilitate democratic involvement deserve to be