William Hague: The Listening Leader

Hague Resumes Regional Tour With a Welsh 'No'

He will cover 5,000 miles, make 50 visits and meet 8,000 people by the end of September as he seeks to relaunch his party and win support for his campaign to modernise it.

Mr Hague says his target is to create "the greatest grass-roots party in the western world".

His intention is to transform the fortunes of a party reduced to just 164 seats at the last election into a movement to rival the strength of the US Republicans or the German CDU.

The tour began last month in the south-west of England. Now he has gone to Wales. The one-time Welsh Secretary, whose fiancee Ffion Jenkins is Welsh, began with visits to Caernarfon and Cardiff.

At Cardiff airport, as he set off, Mr Hague denied that the campaign against devolution was a lost cause.

He accused the Government of rushing through the referendum before legislation had passed through Parliament.

"They are really asking the people of Wales to buy a second-hand car without looking under the bonnet - to vote for devolution without seeing the legislation."

Mr Hague strongly welcomed the declaration by the rebel Labour MP, Sir Ray Powell, that he would vote 'No' on September 18.

"Ray Powell has been a public servant for Wales for a very long time and he is speaking out for the interests of Wales, not just for his party. I hope people listen to him," he said.

Mr Hague said he believed Welsh people would get the message that an Assembly would be dangerous and diminish the influence of Wales within the UK.

"It would be a huge expense for no real practical gain whatsoever."

On Tuesday he moves on to Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Stirling and Glasgow as he takes the opportunity to campaign against devolution for Wales and Scotland.

Later in the week he will campaign in Yorkshire.

A Tory spokesman said that the tour had two main aims: "First he wants to begin the task of reconnecting the Conservative Party with the British people.

"His second aim is to seek party endorsement for his leadership and for his plans to create "a modern, dynamic Conservative Party".