The race to find a new leader for Britain's Conservatives resumed yesterday, as the challengers, Mr Kenneth Clarke and Mr Iain Duncan Smith, returned to the campaign trail after a two-week holiday hiatus.
As battle recommenced, the Eurosceptic Mr Duncan Smith (47) received a boost with the endorsement of the former party chairman, Mr Michael Ancram.
Attacking Mr Clarke, who is in favour of joining the European single currency, Mr Ancram said he risked tearing the party apart over Europe and had attempted to sideline "the most important issue facing this generation".
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Ancram said: "I cannot see how we can be led by a man who essentially disagrees with one of the most cherished beliefs of the party without risking tearing it apart. Europe cannot be sidelined, as Ken Clarke suggests. The European Union is not going to hold back from development until the Tories have sorted themselves out."
Both challengers will now undertake a gruelling tour of Conservative constituencies in an attempt to win the votes of the party's 330,000 members, who will decide the winner, to be announced on September 12th.
Mr Clarke (61), a former chancellor, yesterday renewed his call to Mr Duncan Smith to take part in head-to-head debates in front of party members, but was again turned down.
A spokesman for Mr Duncan Smith replied they had already agreed to the staging of a televised debate but this would not be held in front of party members.