'Call us Conservative' say Tories

The Conservative Party grew from the old Tory Party

The Conservatives are asking to be called by their full name rather than being shortened to Tories - to try to stop confusion at the ballot box.

In an e-mail, the party's head of broadcasting asked TV bosses to refer to Conservatives at first reference.

It read: "I know that both terms will always be used, but it would be nice if in reports people could remember to call us Conservative at least once."

Labour said the Tories had become the party that "dare not speak its name".

Campaign spokesman Fraser Kemp said: "Maybe the Tories hope to hide their past, but it is going to take more than a change of names to cover the record of the Tories."

But Michael Salter, who sent the email to television stations, said the party often made the request.

He said: "We have done this numerous times before. We don't mind people using the term Tory and we know the words will be used interchangeably.

"But we would like the first reference to be Conservative. It is the official name of the party and the name candidates will be fighting the election under."

The Conservative Party grew out of the late 18th Century Tory Party.

Mr Salter said they did not think voters would see them as two different parties, but it would "remove any sense of confusion".