Bring back Ken Clarke, Tories urge Cameron

Pressure is growing on the Conservative leader David Cameron to bring back the former chancellor Kenneth Clarke (pictured) and the former shadow home secretary David Davis in a shadow cabinet reshuffle.

A poll of 1,800 party members by the ConservativeHome website over Christmas showed that 50 per cent would like Clarke back, while 41 per cent said they were opposed to the idea.

The poll also reveals that a significant minority of Tories - 31 per cent - believe George Osborne should be replaced as shadow chancellor.

However, as The First Post's Westminster insider, the Mole, reported yesterday, it is thought unlikely Cameron would demote his friend Osborne. Instead, Clarke is more likely to be given the business portfolio, pitching him against Labour's Lord Mandelson. Alan Duncan, the current shadow business secretary, is tipped for demotion.

There was far more support among Tories for a David Davis comeback, with 72 per cent of respondents in favour and only 22 per cent opposed.

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