Tory rivals primed for new battle

The contenders face a long series of hustings

Conservative leadership contenders David Cameron and David Davis are taking their battle to Newcastle in the latest Tory hustings event.

They went head-to-head in front of Tory members for the first time on Monday.

After the session, Mr Davis said his rival's strategy was "like the early Blair" despite the fact the public was "rather sick" of the prime minister.

Mr Cameron rejected the claim, saying his differences with Mr Blair were "too many to mention".

The winner of the leadership contest will be announced on 6 December, with about 300,000 Tory members voting by post.

'Principled politics'

Following the first hustings, in Leicester, on Monday, Mr Davis told BBC News: "Our argument today in the hall was that it would be rather ironic if we started to try Blair's approach at the time when the public at large are getting rather sick of it."

The "collective view" was he had won the debate, claimed Mr Davis.

HAVE YOUR SAY David Cameron will probably win the vote because he has the better PR support Philip Ross, Winchester Send us your comments

He also said he would not "prop up a wounded Labour prime minister" - a reference to reports that Mr Cameron plans to back some of the Blairite reforms opposed by some Labour backbenchers.

Responding to the accusation that he was trying to mimic the prime minister, Mr Cameron said: "People will say those things and you just have to be relaxed about it.

"I've set out a very clear programme of modern, compassionate conservatism for the Conservative party.

"I've been consistent about the need for the party to change to get back into the cities, to attract young people, to win back women voters."

He argued it was not right to announce detailed policies during a leadership campaign.

'Team effort'

Mr Cameron is the bookmakers' favourite to win the contest. On Sunday he received the backing of former party leader William Hague.

But Mr Davis said voting among Tory members so far had been slow, adding: "A large number of people haven't made up their minds."

MP Anne Main, a convert from Mr Davis to his rival, said Mr Cameron would "surround himself with an excellent team" if he became leader, which in turn would create policies of "substance".

Mr Cameron's team was showing a "slightly more modern approach, a softer approach", she said.

There will be 11 hustings events, with the debates held in many different regions of England, as well as one in Scotland and another in Wales.

The last leadership hopeful to be eliminated, Liam Fox, has backed Mr Cameron over David Davis, although he told the Sunday Times it was a "close call".