Major 'heartbroken' by Tory divisions

Major says the divisions are "immensely damaging"

Former Prime Minister John Major has told the BBC he is "heartbroken" about the divisions within the Conservative Party.

Mr Major said only a small group of people appeared to be plotting against Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith but argued it was proving "immensely damaging".

His comments come after Mr Duncan Smith accused his critics of "disgusting the public".

With a senior Tory official promising to tell the truth about the claims "whatever the cost" about allegations about his private office, Mr Duncan Smith again said he is "utterly confident" his name would be cleared.

Division warning

In an interview with BBC News 24's Hard Talk programme to be broadcast on Thursday evening, Mr Major said his experience in office showed that voters did not support divided parties.

He said the UK's political system would become lop-sided if there was no strong, slightly right-of-centre party there as a balance.

"So if anybody is putting their personal ambitions first here, they should consider not just the damage they're doing to their party in Parliament, or to their supporters in the country, or to the millions of people who wish to support them in the country.

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"But they will unbalance the political system of our country because we need a thriving, middle-of-the-road, confident, united Conservative Party."

During the last Conservative leadership election, Mr Major attacked the way Mr Duncan Smith undermined his premiership as one of the Maastricht rebels.

Earlier, during a visit to Cornwall on Thursday, Mr Duncan Smith highlighted his party's five-point lead in a recent opinion poll.

He his party was united on wanting his leadership and election victory.

'Smears'

In an article for the Spectator magazine, Mr Duncan Smith says there are Conservatives who for a variety of motives are convinced he should not be leader.

"They include some highly principled colleagues and former colleagues who disagree with some of the policies I have set out," he writes.

"But they also include certain irreconcilable malcontents, the acolytes of former leadership contenders and their friends and allies in the media."

He writes of "determined and sustained attempts" to undermine him through "off-the-record briefings and smears", peaking with the "offensive" slur against his wife.

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"I deeply regret that the frustrated ambitions and grievances of this group, who would rather bring me down than see the Conservative Party prosper, are hindering our activists, distracting the media and disgusting the public," he adds.

As many as six MPs are believed to been given "career development interviews" by Tory chief whip David Maclean about public statements around the time of last week's Tory conference.

It is understood those called in for interview were not people regarded as secret "plotters" but some of them are said to have accepted they had been "less than helpful".

Party sources say Mr Maclean now regards the "chapter closed", but it is not known if any letters have been sent by him to constituency associations of those involved.

The interviews took place as Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer began his formal investigation into Mr Duncan Smith's employment of his wife as diary secretary.

Sir Philip decided to hold an inquiry after receiving evidence from the investigative journalist Michael Crick questioning whether Betsy Duncan Smith did enough work to justify her salary.

Truth talk

Meanwhile, speculation continues about the future of Vanessa Gearson as deputy director at Conservative Central Office.

Her leaked e-mail to a colleague raising concerns about the employment of Mrs Duncan Smith as a secretary is believed to be part of Mr Crick's dossier.

On Wednesday Dr Gearson, a Tory candidate for Cheltenham, told her local newspaper, the Gloucestershire Echo: "I don't believe that the people of Cheltenham would wish for me to do anything other than to tell the truth and to stand up for my principles, no matter what the cost."

HAVE YOUR SAY So many inquiries and so little action Gabriel Asseily, UK Send us your comments

Sir Philip has also received a 40-page rebuttal dossier from Mr Duncan Smith.

It is thought hostile MPs will not want to move against the Tory leader while the inquiry is under way.

On Wednesday, the issue was not raised at a meeting of the 1922 committee, which represents all Tory backbenchers.