Rifkind backs Clarke in Tory race

Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind is supporting Kenneth Clarke in the battle for the Conservative leadership.

The eurosceptic will help Mr Clarke's campaign to win support outside the relatively narrow pro-euro faction of the party.

In a poll, most party members thought Mr Clarke would win but the majority preferred Iain Duncan Smith.

Sir Malcolm had originally backed party chairman Michael Ancram but says the former Chancellor is the only candidate with the national stature to give the Tories a chance of winning in four years' time.

He says he disagrees with Mr Clarke over the euro but the Tories must agree to differ on the subject and concentrate on issues of more immediate interest to ordinary voters.