Dirty dozen 'seek IDS vote'

The Tory party conference was swept today by rumours of a list of a dozen MPs calling for a vote of no-confidence in Iain Duncan Smith.

The list was said to be in the hands of Michael Spicer, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.

Another story was circulating that the party leader's closest aides held a panic meeting late last night to discuss the threat and how to counter it.

But an atmosphere of deepening poison brought counter-claims that the rumours had been deliberately planted to destabilise the leadership.

And some pointed the finger at the leader's former leadership rival, shadow cabinet minister David Davis.

The speculation came as Mr Duncan Smith prepared to rush forward a strategic reshuffle of his shadow cabinet to reassert his authority.

Amid further tension over the next manifesto, the Tory leader is set to reshape his team before a major pre-election drive in the spring by clearing out tired shadow ministers and promoting key allies. Mr Duncan Smith and his aides were striving to keep the spotlight - and the headlines - on their new policy plans.

But yet another rift opened over his aim to announce a series of specific tax cuts next spring.

The timing was planned to give the party a full year to campaign on the issue before the next election, expected in 2005.

Shadow chancellor Michael Howard has, however, publicly refused to endorse his leader's promise to spell out families' savings because of uncertainties over public finances. The row has split the shadow cabinet, with key modernisers including shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin and education spokesman Damian Green urging caution on tax.

Mr Duncan Smith is, however, being encouraged to be bold by past party grandees including Mr Davis and Tim Yeo.

The turmoil over the leadership continued to overshadow and disrupt the conference.

Former foreign secretary Douglas Hurd hurriedly abandoned plans to discuss a leadership contest at Blackpool 40 years ago when the conference was taken over by the battle to succeed Harold Macmillan.

The fringe meeting instead was treated to a bland discussion of Lord Hurd's memoirs. The organisers denied there had been any "pressure" to change plan.

And another heavyweight stepped in to join the criticism of Mr Duncan Smith's policies.

Lord Baker, the former education secretary and party chairman, condemned Mr Duncan Smith's pledge to axe top up fees as "morally bankrupt and totally cynical".