Hague Brings Youth To Leadership Challenge

At the launch of his bid for the leadership, he was introduced by former defence procurement minister James Arbuthnot and was joined at the launch by Tory MPs Rod Richards, Julie Kirkbride - a former journalist and one of the new intake - and Alan Duncan, a key member of the Tory General Election campaign team.

At his news conference, Mr Hague outlined his views on party unity - an issue on which all the declared candidates have spoken.

"Everyone involved in this election will talk about the importance of unity," he said. "But the lesson of recent years is that unity cannot be achieved without a common hope and belief in victory."

On the divisive issue of Europe, Mr Hague made it clear he was against a single European currency.

"I think it's important to lead the party away from squabbles about that issue. If we are we will have to make it and my choice would be very clear: we should not be part of a single European currency," he said.

Hague announces leadership bid

"But we've got to couch our views about Europe in positive terms. We want to be in Europe but not run by Europe," he added.

Mr Hague outlined four areas where the Tory Party needed to have a rethink and possibly change.

Firstly the party needed to take a "blank sheet of paper" on the issue of its own organisation by the time of the 1999 European elections.

"New Labour may have learnt from us in their policies. We have a great deal to learn from them in communicating through the modern media," he said.

Secondly the Tories needed to communicate their message to people not currently represented in the House of Commons.

"People in the urban areas, the north of England, Scotland and Wales need to know that they have a home and a voice inside the Conservative Party. They need to be able to identify with the Conservative Party and its leader," he said.

Thirdly the message of the Conservative Party and its policies needed to be brought home to people.

"We need to bring younger, different, more energetic people into the life of our party at every level and to make full use of their talents," he added.

Lastly the Tories needed to reaffirm their basic values in one or two areas - although there must not be an abandonment of its principles and core values. Mr Hague listed a "decent education for young people" and personal ownership among them.

Mr Hague has put his name forward after rejecting an offer to be the deputy of the another candidate, the former Home Secretary, Michael Howard. He also turned down a similar deal by another leadership rival, the former Social Security Peter Lilley.

Explaining his change of heart of over backing Mr Howard, Mr Hague told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "I thought on reflection that if I'm good enough to be offered those things, I'm good enough to stand as a leadership contender."

"It is a big step for someone of my age and my stage of life. "I am 36 years old and getting married and so on. It is a big step to take and I had to think about it very hard. I think it was right to look at other options," he insisted.

At 36, he is by far the youngest of the contenders bidding to replace John Major as party leader.

So far, there are six declared contenders. The others contenders are the former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke, the 1995 leadership contender John Redwood, the former Home Secretary Michael Howard, the former Social Security Secretary, Peter Lilley and the former Health Secretary, Stephen Dorrell.