toryleadership

YouGov survey boosts Davis, deflates Clarke

A YouGov survey in today's Telegraph gives a big boost to David Davis' leadership hopes.

David Davis is the first or second choice of 54% of 615 party members surveyed (and of 36% of 1,005 Conservative voters).

David Cameron is second placed at 30% amongst members (15% amongst voters).

Then come: Liam Fox 24% (16%); Ken Clarke 19% (23%); Sir Malcolm Rifkind 13% (9%).

Interestingly Ken Clarke (and John Redwood) did score very highly when it came to the kind of candidate that members and voters defintely did not want. 54% of members and 42% of voters didn't want Mr Clarke as leader. David Davis had the lowest negative ratings.

The Telegraph/YouGov survey also found nearly three-quarters of party members in favour of MPs retaking the ultimate say over the next leader.

The members so supportive of the rollback of grassroots democracy may like to consider that the MPs are much more likely to back the candidate - Ken Clarke - they like the least. In giving up their voting rights they might find that they might allow MPs to endorse a grand-stop-Davis-coalition.

If you wish to register your opinion on the rule changes and who should be the next Tory leader, take the ConservativeDemocracy.com survey.

David Davis is favourite to succeed Michael Howard

Ladbrokes have installed David Davis as the clear favourite to succeed Michael Howard as Tory leader.

At 13-8 the Shadow Home Secretary has a clear advantage over Liam Fox (7-1).

Other contenders were ranked as follows: Sir Malcolm Rifkind (8-1), David Cameron (9-1); Andrew Lansley (10-1) and Theresa May (12-1).

William Hague (16-1) and Oliver Letwin (18-1) have already ruled themselves out of the contest.