Tory leader appeals to MPs

Iain Duncan Smith has made a passionate appeal today to his MPs to pull back from plunging the Tory Party into a divisive leadership contest.

He told a special meeting of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee that a fight for the Tory crown now would benefit only Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Labour Government.

He told them there was no "white knight" who could come charging to the rescue and win the next general election.

In a 20-minute address he admitted he had made mistakes - but said any new leader would have to go through the same learning curve.

Mr Duncan Smith smiled and looked relaxed as he arrived for today's meeting, which will be followed by a confidence vote in his leadership.

He told reporters: "It's like a sort of gladiatorial thing."

Asked if he was confident of winning, he replied: "Confident? I've never been anything

else."

The packed private meeting lasted 28 minutes and

was punctuated by the ritual banging of desks in support of the Conservative leader.

Asked for his verdict by reporters, shadow deputy prime minister David Davis said simply: "Very good speech."

The MPs now vote to decide Mr Duncan Smith's fate, with the result announced at about 7pm by the 1922 Committee chairman Sir Michael Spicer.

This is the schedule for this evening:

  • 2.30pm 1922 Committee meets, addressed by Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith

  • 3.30pm MPs begin casting their votes in the vote of confidence in the party leader

  • 6.30pm Voting ends

  • 7pm The results of the vote of confidence are announced - but only in as far as whether Iain Duncan Smith has won or lost the confidence of his 166 MPs

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