Rifkind backs Clarke in leadership battle

Kenneth Clarke's long haul to become leader of the Conservative party received a significant heave today, with the backing of Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

Sir Malcolm, despite defeat in both the 1997 and 2001 elections, is the last "big beast" of the Scottish Conservative party, and was a backer of Michael Ancram in the initial ballots of the contest.

But now the former foreign secretary and staunch Eurosceptic, has fallen in behind the former chancellor, calling him "the only candidate with national stature".

In a statement, Sir Malcolm said: "Few Conservatives doubt the difficulties we face in becoming again a party of government in the next four years.

"Crucial to that objective will be the choice of a new leader. That person must be credible as an alternative prime minister in the case of both the party itself and the wider electorate.

"I am convinced that Kenneth Clarke is by far the right person. He has the experience, the intelligence, the energy, the vision and the personality that would make him an impressive prime minister.

"I am satisfied that he is committed to the modernisation of our party and that he will ensure that we are seen again by the electorate as relevant, competent and attractive as an alternative government.

"While he and I differ on Europe and in particular on the issue of the single currency, I agree with him that the party must spend far more time on health, education and the many other social and economic issues that will be the public's priority in the years to come.

"Whoever is leader, there will be differences on European policy, as there is in the Labour party."

Sir Malcolm said that both remaining candidates were "men of considerable ability and integrity."

But he added: "The party needs a leader with national stature and a warm and effective rapport with the British public. That man is Kenneth Clarke."

The dilemma facing the Tory party - two diametrically opposed candidates splitting the vote almost equally - was demonstrated in a poll of today's Daily Telegraph.

In questioning 521 party members, 56% of whom said they though Mr Clarke would win on September 12, compared to 44% who thought Mr Duncan Smith would be ahead.

This was despite the fact that the same people, asked their personal preferences, chose the shadow defence secretary over the former chancellor by a margin of 61% to 39%.

That result reflected two polls in Sunday newspapers yesterday, each of which gave the lead to Mr Duncan Smith.

The Tory vice-chairman, Steve Norris, yesterday warned that the party had caught itself "between a rock and a hard place" as each of the two candidates brought risks with them.

Mr Norris, who might be expected to line up with Mr Clarke's centre-left coalition, described the Rushcliffe MP as a "genial chancer" capable of damaging the party because of his pro-euro views.

But he also said that many of Mr Duncan Smith's supporters worried socially liberal Tories like him.

Ballot papers are now being sent to the Conservative party's 325,000 members.

The deadline for returns is September 11, with the result being announced the next day.

The new leader will then have just four weeks before delivering his keynote speech at the Blackpool Tory party conference on October 11.

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