Former British chancellor Mr Kenneth Clarke today entered the Tory leadership battle with a call for the party to end the obsession with Europe which had "poisoned" its internal politics and brought down its two most recent leaders.
Mr Clarke vowed not to hide his pro-euro convictions and said that, under his leadership, all Tories - including the shadow cabinet - would have a free vote and freedom of debate on Britain's entry into the European single currency.
But he insisted the issue of the single currency would not decide the next general election and the Tories must focus on health, education and the economy if they are to have any hope of winning it.
The Conservatives had "wasted four years" trying to scare the electorate about the "mythical" threat of a European superstate and must now tone down their language and speak "realistically" about Europe, Mr Clarke said.
PA