If the British public falls for this...it will be stark, staring bonkers Quintin Hogg

Mr Hogg, who gave up his peerage to run for the Conservative Party leadership last year, began by attacking Labour's defence policy: "What is their defence policy? To drop our most powerful weapon altogether. Their foreign policy? To opt out of the conference table at the highest level.

"Their policy on finance? To stop inflation by spending another £1,000 million a year."

He continued criticising their plans for modernisation of the railways, education and industry.

He went on: "If the British public falls for this, I say it will be stark, staring bonkers, and that is all I have got to say."

His remarks produced some guffaws from journalists - one of whom proceeded to ask whether he thought the editor of The Economist was bonkers for backing Labour. He replied: "I have not examined him lately."

Another journalist asked if he really thought all 13 million people who voted Labour at the last election were bonkers?

He replied that it was not yet clear how many would back Labour this time. "After what I have said, perhaps none will," he said.

When asked how he would describe the Liberals and Mr Hogg replied "insignificant and meaningless".

Whereas, he added, Conservatives were "sound, sensible, progressive, wise, well-balanced citizens".

Mr Hogg has already developed a reputation as an eccentric - and outspoken politician.

In 1957 when he was party chairman, he tried to rouse the party faithful by ringing a handbell from the platform of the party conference to celebrate victory in Suez.

Last summer he led the British delegation to Moscow to sign the nuclear test-ban treaty, and took an unfashionable stand on the Profumo scandal, denouncing it as a moral and not a party political issue.

	E-mail this story to a friend