Hague: Backed by Thatcher

Thatcher Gives Surprise Boost to Hague Campaign

But shortly after this Mr Hague received a fresh boost, when he won the endorsement of Baroness Thatcher. Until now, the former Tory Party leader and Prime Minister for eleven years had stayed out of the limelight in the leadership race. On Wednesday afternoon, Lady Thatcher appeared together with Mr Hague outside Westminster.

Thatcher likes Hague's "clear vision"

... and hopes that he will win and lead the Tories

Lady Thatcher said that Mr Hague stood "for the things I believe in - above all, he offers a clear vision of Britain as a free, sovereign nation with control over its own affairs".

She appeared to attack indirectly the new Clarke-Redwood alliance, when she added that the Conservative Party should "not try to seek refuge in an incredible alliance of opposites, which can only lead to further grief".

Mr Hague first came to the attention of Lady Thatcher when as a 16-year-old he made his now famous address to a Conservative Party conference.

More support for Mr Hague came from Lord Harris of Peckham, one of the Conservative's top fundraisers. He said that if Hague lost the ballot, he would not participate in the party's fundraising in the future.

John Redwood's decision came as a surprise to the Hague camp. Both Redwood and Hague share their antipathy to the single European currency.

On Wednesday morning Mr Hague had even predicted that on the basis of John Redwood's "long-stated principles and beliefs" he would expect Mr Redwood to support him on the third ballot. In the afternoon Mr Hague dismissed Mr Redwood's alliance with the former Chancellor as "a deal not a solution". Accompanied by a number of MPs who had firmly supported John Redwood, he said the Conservatie party was crying out for unity, and needed a "clear position" around which to unite.