David Davis is "the man to beat" says Andrew Marr

On Radio 4's World at One, Andrew Marr, the BBC's Political Editor, said that David Davis was "the man to beat".

The emergence of David Davis as the clear favourite to become the next Tory leader is fuelling MPs' unhappiness at the extended length of Michael Howard's timetable for succession. MPs are telling broadcasters that the party might as well get on with the job of choosing Mr Davis to begin leading the opposition to Tony Blair.

Quentin Davies MP said that the party was in danger of six months of paralysis. He said that Michael Howard's timetable should be junked and procedures put in place that would see a new leader in place by the end of July.

The Party Board has come under strong attack for its role in this process. One source told the World at One that MPs were unhappy that the party's constitution was in the hands of a group of jumped up, failed candidates.

Comments

[Mark]

Doesn't this whole mess actually put people off David Davis. The amount of backstabbing him and his followers have doing makes me wish somebody else could lead the party. What a disgrace.

[Sean Fear]

Well, Derek Conway has certainly not done any favours for David Davis.

But what's really brought matters to a head are the proposals to centralise control of local associations, and to disenfranchise party members in leadership elections.

After being told how useless they are by "sources close to the Leader" over the past fortnight, ordinary party members really aren't inclined to rally to his support right now.

[malcolm]

I agree with your sentiments Mark although I am not sure DD or his followers are responsible for all this backstabbing.Those responsible however should be deeply ashamed of themselves.It seems that some of our MPs have learned nothing from the 12-13 years of intercenine fighting which has brought nothing but disaster for us and a smile to the faces of the leaders of the Labour party.

[James Hellyer]

"One source told the World at One that MPs were unhappy that the party's constitution was in the hands of a group of jumped up, failed candidates."

Some of us aren't delighted by proposals to put all power in the hands of jumped up successful candidates who than can perpetuate a party in their own image!