MR JOHN MAJOR'S election campaign appeared on the brink of a serious crisis last night as two junior ministers openly defied the government's agreed line on the European single-currency (EMU).
But the indications early this morning were that Mr Major would resist Opposition calls for their dismissal. Conservative Central Office released a statement on behalf of junior Health and Employment ministers, Mr John Horam and Mr James Paice, declaring support for the government's "wait and see" policy. The former Liberal leader, Sir David Steel, had led calls for their sacking after publication of personal election addresses indicating their opposition to EMU.
Their action followed hard on the heels of a similar declaration by Dame Angela Rumbold, a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party in charge of candidates. While Mr Major had given carte blanche to individual candidates to state their views, he had earlier decreed that ministers must conform to the cabinet line.
The enforced resignation of ministers would deal a potentially fatal blow to remaining Conservative election hopes, and run the risk of escalating party divisions to include cabinet ministers.
As the Tories struggled to hold the line on Europe, a confident Mr Tony Blair yesterday predicted a Lab our victory for the first time since the British election was declared. Abandoning his usual caution, the Labour leader told" supporters in Crawley: "The sun's out. In a couple, of weeks the Tories will be out.
His claim was bolstered by the latest ICM poll showing a check on last week's apparent Tory recovery. This morning's figures put Labour's lead at 14 per cent, up two points on last week. The Tories are down three on 31 points, and the Liberal Democrats up four on 19.
However, the poll also records a sharp rise in Mr Paddy Ashdown's' personal ratings, and a fall in those of both Mr Blair and Mr Major. And all three staked their leadership claims last night, as the renewed row about fishing policy and "quota hopping" was played out.
Mr Major said he had "not a shred of intention" of accepting yesterday's EU decision to cut fishing levels "unless and until we have a satisfactory agreement on quota hopping". The Liberal Democrat leader, arguing for the scrapping of common fisheries policy, insisted the EU vote marked another Conservative failure.
And after the emergence of the Bulldog, Mr Blair introduced a new character to the election cast: "They talk tough and they get nothing done because they are hopelessly divided. A Labour government would get a better deal for the British fishing industry. In my view Mickey Mouse would get a better deal than this lot."
As Mr Michael Heseltine resumed the Tory charge of Labour "hypocrisy" about education, Labour and the Liberal Democrats exploited Tory divisions. Labour claimed they were plunging "headlong into civil war". The Lib Dems said the Tory party was "breaking up".
The Tory Europhile, Mrs Edwina Currie, said Mr Major's decision to allow individuals to express their personal views was valid, but only up to a point. "The point at which a very large number of candidates are saying something completely different to the leadership makes it very confusing, and difficult for those like myself who are supporting our leadership, and supporting our pro-European policy," she said.