Howard launches leader bid

Michael Howard has formally launched his bid to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.

To cheers and applause from supporters, Mr Howard promised to lead the Tory Party "from its centre" and to include figures from all wings of the party in his team.

The Tories would be a party for "all Britain and all Britons" and would offer "a different kind of politics", he said.

Mr Howard said: "I am announcing today that I am a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

"I pay tribute first of all to Iain Duncan Smith, to his courage, to his dignity, to his decency. and to what he has achieved for us in the last two years.

"This is a great party, the longest-standing, most successful party in the history of democracy. There has been no other party that has done so much or achieved so much as ours. We are its trustees.

"At its best, we have a party broad and generous, broad in appeal and generous in outlook - a party capable of representing all Britain and all Britons.

"I will lead this party from its centre. I will call on the talents of all in the party and the party will expect all to answer that call."

Michael Howard and Kenneth Clarke are to meet later today for a summit which could decide whether Mr Howard will face a contest for the leadership.

Mr Clarke has told friends he is "minded not to run" for the top job, which he failed to secure in the last two contests.

But it is understood that he will be seeking assurances that a Howard-led party would give due weight to all elements of the Tory spectrum. Even if he ran, Mr Clarke, with his pro-Europe history, would stand little chance of winning.

Such a move would wreck plans for a Howard "coronation", however, and commit the party to yet another spell of in-fighting.

The shadow chancellor has signalled strongly that, once leader, he would want his senior team to represent all sections of the party.

He has already recruited modernisers such as shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin and former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell to his cause.

However, Mr Howard's team was hit by a sharp attack of jitters amid suggestions that some other rival might yet come forward.

Michael Portillo today ruled himself out of the running and the party's deputy leader Michael Ancram this morning announced that he would not run - as long as no one else entered the ring.

Asked whether he had any knowledge - or suspicion - that another contender was lying in wait, Mr Ancram replied: "I have no knowledge, but a week is a long time in politics."

Former Welsh Secretary John Redwood was one name circulating at Westminster as a possible maverick challenger. A minority of modernisers were also said to be furious at what one called a "Right-wing stitch-up" to hand the leadership to Mr Howard.

Some MPs were said to be considering whether to mount a challenge from the moderate wing. But most acknowledged that, with the Howard bandwagon rolling at full speed and a battle-weary party desperate for the in-fighting to end, such an attempt would have a near zero chance of success.

Mr Howard was not expected to offer Mr Clarke a job and there was no sign that the former Chancellor, earning big money in the City, would seek one.

Last night, as Tory MPs clustered in the Commons in turmoil over the fall of Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Clarke was elsewhere - at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea v Notts County.

Many in the Howard camp were regretting the sudden decision yesterday to prolong the timetable for a contest, with would-be challengers given a week to decide before nominations close at noon next Thursday.

They pointed out that had party managers stuck to the original plan for nominations to close today, the heir apparent would be home and dry.

The odds, nonetheless, remained overwhelmingly in favour of Mr Howard coasting to an uncontested victory.

The former Home Secretary was preparing to declare formally this afternoon that he is bidding for the crown.

Asked whether there would be any rival, his campaign manager, shadow health secretary Liam Fox, said: "It certainly looks unlikely."

Mr Howard held a late night meeting at his Pimlico home with his key allies, including Mr Fox and Mr Letwin, a standardbearer for the party's liberal wing. The move was a clear signal that Mr Howard, firmly established on the Tory Right, will move to bring in support from across the party spectrum.

Dr Fox told the Evening Standard: "The party needs to use all the talents it's got to look like a credible alternative government."

The shadow chancellor will have to wait to see whether he is heading for a coronation or a contest. But there were signs of relief that yet another bruising battle might be avoided.