Neck & neck - Cam and Ken top our poll (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Neck & neck - Cam and Ken top our poll

TORY leadership hopeful David Davis is likely to be rejected by Swindon Conservatives when they are asked to select Michael Howard's successor, an Advertiser survey has revealed.

Young pretender David Cameron and Ken Clarke were equal when the Adver asked the town's 32 Conservative councillors who should be the next Tory leader.

Mr Clarke and Mr Cameron both won the support of ten councillors.

In contrast, only three councillors backed former SAS reservist David Davis.

Fellow right-winger Liam Fox received two endorsements.

Mr Davis would face humiliation in the second round of the contest if this result proves to be the way Tory grassroots vote next month.

The shadow Home Secretary's campaign has been under intense pressure after a lacklustre performance at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool.

Mr Davis was in particular outshone by shadow Education Secretary David Cameron who urged the party to modernise.

Earlier this week Mr Cameron overtook Mr Davis as the bookmakers favourite and is currently commanding odds of 8/13. David Davis is on 9/4, Ken Clarke 13/2 and Liam Fox 15/2.

Mr Cameron's charismatic performances helped him win the support of Old Town & Lawns councillor, Fionuala Foley. "I saw him in a television interview and he was extremely good. He is young and enthusiastic. He puts his points well and would be exactly the kind of leader we are looking for," she said.

Toothill & Westlea councillor, Steve Wakefield, said: "He is a young candidate and we need some youth in the party. I think he seems to be in touch with people. He seems to be a young person with a future in the Conservative Party and I think that is ideal."

Other councillors, however, preferred the jazz loving former chancellor Ken Clarke, who they said had the right blend of experience and personal appeal.

Coun Andrew Bennett (Ridgeway) said: "I am a big Kenneth Clarke fan. In simple terms it is because of his charisma.

"There is a question about his age, which is the same as mine, but I do not think the more junior contenders have the same gravitas as Clarke."

Coun Justin Tomlinson is backing Woodspring MP Liam Fox but says he is happy with any of the four contenders leading the party.

He said: "I initially supported David Davis but he did not have a good conference. Both he and Liam Fox are saying the right things. They are both men of substance."

David Renard, councillor for Haydon Wick, is one of the few intending to vote for David Davis.

"I think there is an element of experience there. We have lost a lot of supporters particularly from professionals and women. He is the ideal person to bring back the lost votes," he said.

Coun Jemima Milton remains undeclared. She has pledged to ask friends who used to support the Conservative Party but have switched their allegiances to see who would be best at wooing back floating voters.

The councillor for Shaw and Nine Elms, Garry Perkins is still undecided. He said: "If you asked me four weeks ago I would have said David Davis.

"But things have changed. David Cameron looks like he may have the substance to be leader.

"It will be one of the two."

MPs will start voting in the first round of the contest on Tuesday.

The candidate with the lowest number of votes drops out in each of the MPs' ballots until there are just two left.

There will then be a postal ballot of 300,000 Conservative Party members, with the candidate getting the most votes becoming the new leader.

A decision is expected on December 6.

The councillors' choices

Justin Tomlinson (Abbey Meads) Liam Fox

Dale Heenan (Covingham and Nythe) Liam Fox

Glen Smith (Covingham and Nythe) David Davis

David Renard (Haydon Wick) David Davis

Deborah Baylies (St Philips) David Davis

Anthony Peake (Highworth) Ken Clarke

Philip Sharp (St Philips) Ken Clarke

Chris Van Roon (St Margaret) Ken Clarke

Peter Stoddard (Abbey Meads) Ken Clarke

Mike Bawden (Old Town and Lawn) Ken Clarke

Michael Dickinson (Central) Ken Clarke

Nick Martin (Shaw & Nine Elms) Ken Clarke

Mary Martin (Toothill & Westlea) Ken Clarke

Andrew Bennett (Ridgeway) Ken Clarke

Peter Greenhalgh (Freshbrook & Grange Park) David Cameron

Fionuala Foley (Old Town & Lawns) David Cameron

Doreen Dart (Blunsdon) David Cameron

Melanie Duff (Highworth) David Cameron

Lisa Hawkes (Highworth) David Cameron

Ian Dobie (Haydon Wick) David Cameron

Bernard Baker (Margaret) David Cameron

Colin Lovell (Moredon) David Cameron

Steve Wakefield (Toothill & Westlea) David Cameron

Roderick Bluh (Dorcan) David Cameron

Jemima Milton (Wroughton & Chiseldon) undeclared

Garry Perkins (Shaw & Nine Elms) undecided He was in favour of David Davis but is now considering David Cameron.

Wayne Lawley (Haydon Wick) refused to say because he is an election agent in Henley

Ray Fisher (St Margaret) Refused to say because he is the Mayor.

Bill Morton (Wroughton & Chiseldon) Undecided.

Brian Ford (Wroughton and Chiseldon) Ken Clarke

Andy Albison (Dorcan) undecided.

Douglas Stewart (Shaw and Nine Elms) undecided.

Mark Hookham