42% of Tory members want David Davis as Party Chairman

Tim Montgomerie

Earlier this week I suggested that Cameron needed a traditional Party Chairman in the Patten/Tebbit mould. I write about this subject in this morning's Independent:

"The latest ConservativeHome poll of Tory activists finds a substantial majority believing that the Coalition is good for the country but they aren't convinced that it's good for the party's electoral prospects*. Cameron's grassroots members' concern is that he isn't delivering the policies that appeal to key and target constituencies: 58% think Cameron is giving too many concessions to the Liberal Democrats and, as a result, the Coalition's policies on tax, crime, Europe, immigration and defence are too weak... The Prime Minister's life would be easier if he had a party chairman who was out there in the constituencies raising grassroots morale. The ideal chairman would also be on every TV screen slamming the Labour Party for its failure to act in the national interest and help find the cuts that will restore the British economy to balance."

In the latest ConHome survey we asked members to choose between nine possible candidates for the job of Tory Chairman. David Davis was the overwhelming favourite:

1. David Davis 42%
2. Michael Fallon 11%
3. Sayeeda Warsi 10%
4. Ken Clarke 9%
5. Chris Grayling 8%
6. Jeremy Hunt 7%
7. Grant Shapps 6%
8. Alan Duncan 6%
9. Andrew Feldman 2%

It's a very unlikely prospect, of course. Cameron has had very little contact with Mr Davis since he walked out of the shadow cabinet to fight a by-election on the issue of civil liberties. Since the Coalition was formed Mr Davis has been a regular critic of the government and successfully led the rebellion on votes for prisoners.

* 67% of Tory members agree that the Coalition is, overall, a good thing for the nation, 25% disagree. 44% agree that the Coalition is good for the Conservative Party, 47% disagree. 58% agree that David Cameron is giving too many concessions to the Liberal Democrats, 33% disagree. 1270 Tory members were questioned 28^th February to 2^nd March.