Tories back home energy proposal

Ms Morton's plans will go before a policy review panel

A would-be Tory MP's plan to make all new homes capable of generating their own energy has won a "Dragons' Den" style competition.

Electronic business director Wendy Morton's scheme received the support of 29% of activists at the party's conference in an interactive poll.

Ms Morton pitted her idea against suggestions from five Tory candidates.

It will now go forward for consideration by a policy review panel which is preparing the next manifesto.

Dragons' Den is a BBC TV series where amateurs pitch their ideas to secure investment finance from the dragons, who are elite business entrepreneurs.

Housing for homeless

In the Tory version, five women and one man faced a panel of MPs, business people and journalists at the Bournemouth conference.

Ms Morton told the judges she wanted to see all new-build homes being capable of generating a fixed percentage of their energy requirement from solar, wind or hydro power.

She said the cost should not fall entirely on home owners or the construction industry, but there could be VAT incentives.

Her plan was up against proposals for local doctors and nurses to run the NHS, income splitting for families, changing the age of majority, improving public toilets and housing for the homeless.

The judges included the Dragons' Den's Rachel Elnaugh, ex-minister Ann Widdecombe, ex-Tory MP turned journalist Michael Brown and Oliver Letwin, chairman of the Tories' policy review.

The competition came after Tory members voted down a move highlighting the damage no-frills flights cause to the climate.

A motion claiming "cheap flights are a false economy" was defeated by 57% to 43% in a debate on the conference floor.