Clarke: Free enterprise with a social conscience

Clarke sets out to win middle England

In a video which is being sent to more than 1,000 Tory MPs, MEPs, parliamentary and Euro-constituency chairmen and peers, Mr Clarke sets out his case for leading the Tories, backed up by endorsements from supporters including Michael Heseltine, Douglas Hurd and Sir Norman Fowler.

Mr Clarke told potential supporters that the party's mission in opposition had to be to win back the centre right of British politics. He said: "The voters we have to win back are people of moderate views who have to be centre-right, because they believe in our free enterprise economics, but are also very concerned about the public services their families and their children depend on day to day and have a social conscience about people who are less fortunate than themselves. I do try to keep in touch with what I call the real people of middle England who share all those concerns. I believe I am very well placed to win those people back once they realise they have been betrayed by the Labour Party."

Mr Clarke used the video address to stress his determination to reinvigorate the Conservatives after their election defeat saying "I want to give positive leadership that gives the Conservative Party back its self-confidence in its policies and principles; gives it the organisation that we have to have in order to put that into practice; and takes back to power a Conservative Party that wants to win again, wants to be party of government again and is fit and ready to take office in 2002."

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