Right-wing Tories ‘are ready to back Cameron’

SENIOR Tory MPs from the Right of the party are turning towards David Cameron in a sign of growing momentum for his leadership campaign.

Eleanor Laing, the spokesman on women, and John Hayes, a leading member of the Rightwing Cornerstone group of MPs, are expected to declare for the young pretender this week.

Former leadership contender John Redwood is also known to be leaning towards Mr Cameron.

Sources close to Mr Redwood said he was attracted by Mr Cameron’s pledges on Europe – but had been dismayed by his rival David Davis’s decision to set out detailed plans for £38billion in tax cuts five years ahead of the next election.

The expected endorsements are significant because Mr Davis would have hoped to have attracted support from wavering Right-wing MPs.

The party’s Eurosceptic wing has been impressed by Mr Cameron’s pledge never to join the European single currency and to stop Conservative MEPs sitting with the integrationist European People’s Party in the European Parliament.

Others have been attracted by his promise of tax breaks for married couples.

Mrs Laing is likely to declare publicly for Mr Cameron tomorrow, according to senior sources at his campaign.

Mr Hayes, the party’s transport spokesman, said: ‘ I have been very impressed by the stand Mr Cameron has taken on family values. He has said marriage must be supported in the tax and benefits system, which I agree with.

‘I am also attracted by what he has said on the EPP and about a compassionate Conservatism.’

Mr Hayes is likely to bring over other MPs from the 25- strong Cornerstone group.

Yesterday, Mr Davis traded on his working- class background as he insisted he would put ‘social justice’ at the heart of his agenda for power.

‘I grew up on a council estate, I went to a state school,’ he said. ‘But I was lucky – it was a good school, the teachers were good. I was able to make use of that.

‘ A lot of kids who live there now haven’t got that option and I really want to make sure that is available to everybody.’