Tories 'need to emphasise reform'

Andrew Lansley says he will make his leadership decision later

The Tories should describe themselves as the Reform Conservatives to show the country that the party has reformed, a possible leadership contender has said.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley also said parliamentary candidates should come from a new "gene pool".

"The public needs to be aware that the Conservative Party has reformed itself and is going to reform the country," he told the Times.

He added that a new description would not require the party name to change.

"The point of saying that we should describe ourselves as the Reform Conservatives was that it does not require the name of the Conservative Party to change: the Labour Party is still the Labour Party.

'Gene pool'

"They called themselves New Labour to indicate to the public that they had changed themselves and therefore were going to change the country."

Mr Lansley said the party had to reflect British society more closely.

"If we are going to form the next government, and I sincerely hope we will, we have got to bring in another 100 and something new MPs, and those have to be much more representative of the British people.

"It is about renewing the gene pool of the Conservative Party."

Mr Lansley said he was undecided about standing for the leadership when Michael Howard steps aside.

"I am literally going to wait until there is a leadership election and make the decision then," he said.