Green comes out in support for Davis
Potential Conservative leadership candidate David Davis today received a surprise boost from former frontbencher Damian Green who described him as the best man for the job.
The Shadow Foreign Secretary is thought to be considering running for the leadership after Michael Howard confirmed he would step-down
Mr Green, who returned to the backbenches last September, said Mr Davis is best placed to take the party forward.
The former frontbencher’s own ideological viewpoint aligns more closely with that of Conservative colleagues such as Ken Clarke – who is yet to confirm whether or not he will throw his hat into the ring.
But in what could be an important twist in the leadership contest, Mr Green threw his weight behind the Shadow Foreign Secretary.
In an interview for BBC One’s News 24 Sunday, Mr Green said Mr Davis has the best credentials to revive a party left limping after its most recent election defeat.
“Mr Davis has got the experience to be not just a good opposition leader but also a good prime minister which is after all what the election would be about”, he said.
Mr Green spoke of the growth of a “consensus” within the party around the idea of Mr Davis rising to the party’s apex.
“This new consensus”, he explained, “is that we can use what are regarded as right-wing Tory policies for the one-national goals.”
The appointment of David Davis could also help dispel the long engrained image of the Tories being a party for the elite, he added.
“To elect a leader who was brought up on a tough council estate in south London will send a very clear signal that the Tory party is about everyone in this country, not just about a privileged few.”
Mr Green said he grew to admire Mr Davis when they worked together on Tory plans to devolve power to local communities before the general election.
Mr Davis – who could face tough competition from the likes of Ken Clarke and Sir Malcolm Rifkind – remains the bookies’ favourite to win.
