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Clarke Calls For Free Votes On Europe
The former Chancellor, Kenneth Clarke, has indicated that he may allow free votes on major European legislation if he was elected leader of the Conservatives. Mr Clarke, who was the first to put himself forward for the leadership, said that this was the only way to end what he called the "ridiculous and permanent war" between the left and right of the party.
Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast With Frost programme, Mr Clarke said that a leader from either wing of the party would be unable to persuade members from the other side to take the whip. He conceeded that Euro-sceptic and Euro-phile Conservatives are generallly "quite incapable of agreeing on it (Europe)" and that the only solution was to allow free votes.
Mr Clarke - who admitted that it had been a bad week after he saw his party trounced on polling day and his favourite football team, Nottingham Forest, relegated yesterday - said his party should "get itself together" and demonstrate to the British public that it was capable of being a "party of sensible government again in five years time".
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Peter Lilley talks to 'On The Record'
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Meanwhile, the former Social Security Secretary, Peter Lilley, from the right of the party, has announced his candidacy in the Mail on Sunday. Apart from Kenneth Clarke, Mr Lilley is the only candidate to come forward so far - although it is likely more candidates will emerge next week. He says in his article that he is the "best placed to reunite, rebuild and renew the Tory Party".
Mr Lilley, speaking of his own candidacy for the leadership said he had received an "avalanche" of calls since making his candidacy known on Saturday night.
Reacting to Mr Clarke's suggestion of a free vote for MPs on European issues, Mr Lilley ruled out allowing MPs to make up their own minds on monetary union. "The idea we could all just say it's a free vote and Her Majesty's Opposition have no view on it isn't really realistic," he said.
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Michael Heseltine will not stand
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The race for the Tory leadership seems wide open after the bookies' favourite Michael Heseltine withdrew on Saturday night. The former Deputy Prime Minister, who stood against John Major for the leadership in 1990, pulled out of the contest after being rushed to hospital after suffering a bout of angina.
The 64-year-old, who suffered a heart-attack in 1993 is said to be in a "comfortable" condition in Horton General Hospital, Banbury.
The former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell has refused to say if he will be standing. He told GMTV that the matter needed careful consideration: "It's sensible to spend a few days thinking about the personal implications of standing for what is potentially a prime ministerial post".
The other likely contenders are William Hague, John Redwood, Michael Howard and Gillian Shephard.
The governor of Hong Kong and former Conservative Party Chairman, Chris Patten, has rejected an appeal from a senior Tory backbencher to enter the contest. Sir Michael Colvin appealed to Mr Patten, who lost his parliamentary seat of Bath at the 1992 election, to come forward if a Tory MP could be persuaded to offer up a parliamentary seat. Mr Patten, though, has said that he will stay in Hong Kong until the colony's handover to China in June. After that he intends to spend six months writing a book about Asia and Europe.
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John Major commiserates with Michael Portillo on election night
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A former favourite for the leadership, Michael Portillo, who lost his Enfield Southgate seat to Labour has said that he may not return to politics. In an interview for the Sunday Telegraph the former Defence Secretary admits that he was not looking forward to the leadership contest saying that he thought it might "turn nasty". Mr Portillo says he now intends to spend his time reading and catching up with friends. He is also considering a career in broadcasting.
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