Howard rules out Tory leadership bid

Senior Tory Michael Howard has emphatically ruled out standing against Iain Duncan Smith in a party leadership challenge.

Instead, he has urged Conservatives to rally behind their leader.

Iain Duncan Smith has suffered weeks of speculation following the resignation of senior staff at the party's headquarters.

Shadow chancellor Mr Howard said that if Conservatives supported their leader they would then be in a position to show the people of Britain a "better way" forward.

However he was unable to give a firm commitment to reverse Labour tax rises even though Tories have repeatedly promised to cut taxes.

Speaking on GMTV's The Sunday Programme, Mr Howard praised Mr Duncan Smith's "clear, strategic vision" and denied that he had any plans to challenge him as leader of the party.

"I've ruled it out many times unequivocally, without qualification," he said.

"We have an excellent leader, we should all rally round behind him, we should all support him because if we do that we can go on, we can show the people of our country that we can provide them with a better way of doing things."

Mr Howard told the programme that he was unable to make firm promises on tax cuts.

"We haven't said we will repeal the increase at the time of the next election," he said.

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