Mrs Andrew Marr makes the case for Ken Clarke

I haven't found a 'case for Ken Clarke' in any of Britain's daily right-of-centre newspapers although The Daily Mail, which backed him last time and shares his Michael Moore position on the Iraq war, may yet become a cheerleader and Peter Oborne endorsed him in last week's Speccie.  I've also failed to get the Clarke camp to provide an endorsement for this blog - all of the other leading camps have obliged.  This failure may be consistent with the Clarke camp's clear view that MPs should decide this contest.  Mr Clarke doesn't want to appeal to grassroots members and hopes that he won't have to.  Matthew d'Ancona notes that Mr Clarke is also unwilling to speak to journalists at a series of dinners that Tory donor Stuart Wheeler is hosting for the leadership candidates.  Mr d'Ancona writes:

"It is revealing that only Mr Clarke has declined [Mr Wheeler's] invitation. In the former chancellor's eyes, the normal positions have been reversed: Mr Clarke will put himself forward only if the Tory party proves itself a worthy candidate."

But if Mr Clarke is being battered by the likes of Mr d'Ancona, Ferdinand Mount, The Sun and Anatole Kaletsky he has got the backing of Jackie Ashley in today's Guardian. 

Ms Ashley believes that "the Conservatives could quite easily capitalise on a mood of tired irritation with Labour by the next election":

"For the first time in more than a decade, the economy might well be a point of weakness. Clarke, who was the last Tory chancellor and feels he built the foundations for the sustained growth Gordon Brown inherited, is the man to exploit that. He wants revenge and can at least talk the talk. Can you see the country turning to David Davis (or, indeed, David Cameron) and thinking "Ah yes, there's someone solid we can trust on the economy"? No, nor can I."

His economic reputation is, for Ms Ashley, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer's key asset.  "He is rightwing on economics," she writes - seemingly to reassure conspiratorial Conservatives anxious as to what her endorsement really means - and is "dismissive of the trade unions" - remember those ambulance workers? - and "contemptuous of big government".  Dismissive!  Contemptuous!  Wow!

Ken Clarke's other two big assets are his opposition to the Iraq war which "continues to look like the great foreign policy disaster of the Blair years" and his "authority based on personality and authenticity, experience and chutzpah".

Clarke's campaign has yet to take off.  Unlike David Cameron (Clarke's main rival to be DD's lead opponent) who has given half-a-dozen speeches and numerous interviews, KC has yet to give one big speech.  Last Friday's Telegraph only gave him two publicly-confirmed supporters - the odd couple of John Bercow and Ann Widdecombe (reminiscent, perhaps, of 1997's 'odd couple' Redwood-Clarke ticket).  He's certain to win more supporters as he puts a campaign team together.  Andrew Tyrie, David Curry and John Gummer will be core parliamentary supporters, for example, and Richard Chalk and Paul Baverstock may be his campaign strategists.

Real momentum could also be generated if Sir Malcolm Rifkind quits the dancefloor and endorses his former Major Cabinet colleague.  Andrew Lansley, who backed Clarke in '01, may endorse him, too.  That would certainly give the Clarke bid some life and publicity.

Ken Clarke's interview for that obscure central banking magazine has produced the most broadcast coverage of the leadership race so far.  Whatever else one thinks of KC he certainly remains 'box office'.

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