The newly elected executive committee of the 1922 Committee

Date Set For Tory Leadership Battle

It means local Conservative activists will have no say in the process of choosing a new leader, which kicks off on June 10th with the first ballot for a successor to John Major.

However the party grassroots won the promise of a "root and branch" review of the rules after the forthcoming contest.

The decision was reached at a short ten minute meeting of the 1922 Committee of all backbench Tory MPs. They agreed that proposals for change will be brought forward before the beginning of the summer parliamentary recess at the end of July.

The party conference will consider the plans in October and it is expected they will be voted on by the committee by the end of this year.

Sir Archie Hamilton

Hamilton: change will come

Sir Archie Hamilton, the newly-elected chairman of the committee, crucially won the backing of the main advocate for immediate reform, Robin Hodgson, the chairman of the National Union, the voluntary arm of the party.

Mr Hodgson had called for nearly 900 leading activists to be given 20% of the vote to elect the party leader. A similar plan, to give constituency chairmen 15% of the vote, was proposed by party chairman Brian Mawhinney.

"I think the committee is extremely relieved that an agreement has been reached and there is a way forward. The agreement of the National Union is important," said Sir Archie.

The Chairman of the National Union, Robin Hodgson

Hodgson:hoped for reform

The plans for reform will go further than just the election of the party leader. It is expected to look at questions such as the role of the conference and the employment of party agents.

All six candidates for the leadership have been careful not to upset the grassroots and have expressed varying degrees of sympathy with taking in the views of local activists.

The decision of the 1922 Committee has been seen as a blow to the campaign of former Welsh Secretary William Hague, as he is believed to have the largest backing among the grassroots.

The first ballot of MPs will take place on June 10 with nominations closing on the preceding Thursday, June 5. It means the first ballot could clash with Chancellor Gordon Brown's first Budget, which may also be on June 10, although the date of that has yet to be confirmed.

The winner has to get an overall majority of the votes, plus at least a 15% margin above the others. The second ballot will be a week later on June 17, when other, new candidates can throw their hats into the ring and only an overall majority is required to win.

Should it be required, a third ballot of the two candidates with the highest number of votes will take place on the following Thursday, with a simple majority being enough for victory.