End attacks on Tory leader, says Hague

Tory MPs have been told to end their public attacks on leader Iain Duncan Smith by his predecessor William Hague.

Former leadership challenger Michael Portillo savaged Mr Duncan Smith last week for changes to the Conservative Central Office staff.

The ex-shadow chancellor was widely seen as a threat to Mr Hague during his own leadership.

Mr Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme today that any criticisms should be made privately to his successor.

The forthcoming local elections, along with those being held in Wales and Scotland, represent a "big opportunity" for the Tories, he said.

"The Conservative Party should make sure it makes a good job of those election campaigns, to give resolute and clear support to its leader and, if it has criticisms of him, it should put them to him rather than announce them on the media," he said.

"I was certainly not going to trail over things that have happened over the last week.

"My position is clear. I support Iain Duncan Smith, I want him to succeed.

"The Conservative Party has every opportunity to succeed and now it needs everybody to make sure they work hard for those local elections and concentrate on that."

The support will "certainly not" include a return to the Tory front bench, Mr Hague said.

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