Clarke in call for three-way final to pick Tory leader

THE PROSPECT of a three-way final round to pick the next Tory leader arose today after Kenneth Clarke said he would be ready to take on both Michael Portillo and Iain Duncan Smith in a ballot of all party members.

T he former chancellor made clear he believes that, in the event of a tie for second place in tomorrow's knockout ballot of M P s, the rules should be changed to allow all three contenders to enter the final, nationwide poll. A tie looks a real possibility as the three embark on a final scramble for votes, with each expecting to mop up between 50 and 60 of the 166 Conservative MPs.

T he rules state that "the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes" go forward, with the third dropping out.

In the event of a tie, former minister Sir Michael Spicer, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee w ho is in charge of the contest, could choose to hold a rerun on Thursday, as happened in the first round.

He has not decided one way or the other,but such a result w ould bring a clamour for grassroots members to be allow ed to choose from all three.

Today brought fresh accusations of dirty tricks after rumours spread through Westminster that one of Mr Portillo's most prominent supporters,former minister Nicholas Soames, was about to defect. T he claim was strongly denied by Mr Soames himself but was seen by some Portillo supporters as a further attempt to destabilise his campaign.

T he shadow chancellor, odds-on favourite when the contest began, was forced into a frantic final round of campaigning as he slipped to third place with the bookies, behind Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Clarke.

During a disastrous weekend for his bid, Mr Portillo was forced into angry denials that he and his supporters knifed William Hague in the back during the general election campaign with behind-the-scenes briefings to journalists - accusations levelled by Mr H ague's former communications chief, Amanda Platell, in a televised video diary last night.

She also mocked his vanity and his hairstyle. Francis Maude, Mr Portillo's campaign manager, who was accused directly by Ms Platell of undermining the former leader, said her allegations were "unadulterated rubbish".

Mr Portillo was also rocked by the decision of four Eurosceptic supporters of failed leadership candidate David Davis to support pro- European Mr Clarke.

A nd aides of a "furious" Margaret Thatcher denied point-blank a report that she backed Mr Portillo. It had been claimed Mrs Thatcher felt Mr Duncan Smith lacked the experience to lead the Tories and that she was lining up behind Mr Portillo, despite his reinvention as a "caring Conservative". How ever, her closest sup porters said this was simply not true.

Lady Thatcher said she would not publicly take sides in the con test.It is understood she continues privately to favour Mr Duncan Smith.

However Mr Portillo was boosted today by the support of 11 business chiefs who said in a letter to the Financial Times that he was the best-placed leader to help the party "get its act together".

And he received the backing of two former Tory party chairmen, Lord Baker and Lord Parkinson.

LADBROKES has put Iain Duncan Smith at the head of the pack in the race for the T ory crown. Odds for him shortened to 11-8, with K enneth Clarke second favourite at 13-8.

Michael Portillo is third, with odds of 15-8.

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