Hague: campaign not backed by his mother

Hague talking to Sir David Frost

Divisions Grow Over Europe in Tory Leadership Race

William Hague has insisted that the Conservative Party must "lance the boil" over the single currency. Mr Hague's remarks come after fresh pleas from leadership rival Kenneth Clarke to stop the Tory leadership race becoming a "boring scrap" over Europe.

Mr Hague, the present front-runner, toughened up his Euro-sceptic credentials when he told Sir David Frost on BBC television that if he were elected and became Prime Minister he would take back any British sovereignty surrendered to Europe by the present Labour government.

The former Welsh Secretary also promised that if he were elected leader, he would give the Conservative Party a "real good shaking". Mr Hague stressed that the party needed a new image, a revamp and complete re-organisation.

Despite appearing in the lead at present, Mr Hague's campaign received an unexpected upset on Saturday. Mr Hague's mother told the Sunday Times that she did not want her son to win, and had told him so. "He's sacrificing his personal life," said Stella Hague.

"I never wanted him to go into politics .... He could have had such a comfortable life earning a tremendous amount of money." However, she said that her husband, Nigel, held the opposite view. "My husband said he's got to go for it."

Mr Hague told Sir David, "I believe I can bring some discipline to the Tory Party, but I'm not sure I'll ever manage to bring some to my mother".

It is now widely expected that Tuesday's ballot will not produce a decisive vote. To win outright needs a minimum of 83 votes, half the 164-strong parliamentary party plus one.

That means a third round ballot two days later on Thursday, which under contest rules will feature only the two candidates who get the most votes in round two.

Clarke: claims only he can unite the Tory Party

Clarke: Redwood and Hague have conducted a "divisive" campaign

Mr Clarke accused his two leadership rivals of failing to have a broad approach to politics. He called the constant focus of Mr Hague and Mr Redwood on Europe, "a serious mistake". Mr Clarke,said he was "miles ahead" of the other two candidates with Conservative supporters in the country.

When asked if he would serve in the Shadow Cabinet under either Mr Redwood and Mr Hague, Mr Clarke issued a veiled warning, saying if both men made strict Euro-scepticism a condition of working with them, he believed they would attract very few Euro-enthusiasts into their teams.

Redwood: wants the campaign to end the debate on Europe

Redwood: End civil war on Europe

Mr Redwood, who is firmly against entry into the single European currency, told Sir David that "Europe is our continent and not our country". He also made clear that opposition to a single currency would be a condition for serving in his shadow cabinet. "If a Conservative MP wants to argue for greater European intergration they would have to do so from the backbenches," he said.

If, as looks likely, the contest goes to a third round, where only two contenders survive, Mr Redwood said he expected the final contest to be between himself and Kenneth Clarke.