Patten 'feels sorry for Tories'

Chris Patten: "Deeply saddened" at situation

The Conservatives have lost a tradition of loyalty and are struggling to act as a credible opposition party, according to ex-party chairman Chris Patten.

He said the party's rifts were so deep that even the Conservatives' greatest historical leaders would struggle to run it effectively.

"I just feel deeply saddened by the present situation," the EU commissioner told BBC Two's Newsnight programme.

His comments came after a senior Tory official met Parliament's watchdog about his inquiry into claims about party leader Iain Duncan Smith's payments to his wife.

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Sir Philip Mawer launched an inquiry this week after investigative journalist Michael Crick raised questions about whether Betsy Duncan Smith did enough work to justify her salary.

Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip said anonymous sources behind the complaints, which Mr Duncan Smith has vehemently denied, should "put up or shut up" by 1700 BST on Friday.

It is understood Vanessa Gearson, the deputy director of Conservative Central Office and a Tory prospective candidate who raised concerns about the issue in a leaked internal e-mail, sent her evidence to the watchdog on Friday morning.

Dr Gearson met Sir Philip in Westminster on Friday afternoon to discuss her evidence with him.

Referring to the latest row, Mr Patten said: "The Conservative Party in the 90s got into the habit of tearing itself apart and it seems to have some difficulty in shaking that habit.

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"It's still high on it and so long as that's the situation it's going to find it very difficult to be a credible opposition."

He added that "I don't think a combination of Disraeli and Churchill could run the Conservative Party effectively in the present circumstances.

"I just think it's lost the tradition of loyalty and as it's drifted to the right it's lost that instinct it had for middle opinion".

Mr Patten's interview followed former Tory prime minister John Major saying he was "heartbroken" at the damage the current leadership row was causing the party.

He said support for the Tories would "diminish and diminish" unless the plotting stopped.