Speeches show Tories split with no clear direction

4.43.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th Oct 2005

The Conservative Party has admitted that it made almost no progress at the last general election and that its policies have lost the confidence of the British people. Eight years since they lost office, they are still damaged goods, with falling poll ratings and no clear direction. Whoever becomes leader, they remain split down the middle and out of touch with the public, leaving the Liberal Democrats as the only effective opposition to the Labour Government.

In a speech aimed at gaining support for his bid for leadership, David Davis has told the Conservative party conference that he could "set a course which can unite all sections of the party" and was "the right course for Britain", adding, that the party must "walk tall" and stop apologising for its past, adding that it needed a "new idealism and sense of purpose". Liam Fox has rejected the modernising agenda, telling the conference that he believes there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the party. Meanwhile, the leading Eurosceptic Bill Cash has told ITV News that he is considering standing for the leadership in order to block Clarke's bid.