Virtuoso Rifkind admits mountain to climb

The former foreign secretary yesterday became the first of the declared contenders to address the Tory conference in Blackpool, and won warm applause from delegates for a typically fluent speech, delivered without notes as he walked around the platform.

Despite impressing with his delivery, Sir Malcolm has struggled to energise his campaign and raise his profile.

One opinion poll published yesterday said only 4 per cent of Tory voters believe he should be the next leader, and only four MPs have publicly declared for him, leaving him short of the ten needed.

Because of his limited success to date, most Tory MPs expect Sir Malcolm to fold his hand before the deadline arrives for formal nominations.

"I know we have a mountain to climb," Sir Malcolm warned the party in an off-the-cuff aside, adding: "Some of us have an even higher mountain to climb, but that's another matter."

Although Sir Malcolm appears to have faint hopes of the leadership, his ability to land punches on Labour may yet win him a prominent role in the next shadow cabinet.

Yesterday, he launched a fierce attack on the "insufferable arrogance" of Gordon Brown and on Tony Blair, whom he described as "Bill Clinton without the sex".

Outlining his personal platform, Sir Malcolm made a strong call for a return to "One-Nation" values and an appeal to voters in the political centre-ground.

In a speech that referred to former Conservative leaders, including Winston Churchill, and praised Tory policies including council-house sales, Sir Malcolm insisted that the party - "a unique combination of principle and patriotism" - has an "enormous and healthy future".

The former Scottish secretary's friends say they take comfort from the fact the wider leadership debate is moving towards the centre, with even the leading contenders seeking to emphasise their compassionate agenda.

David Cameron, the education spokesman who has impressed with his slick campaign, will take up that theme in his conference speech today.

"This party, the Conservative Party, is the only party that wants everybody to be a somebody, a doer not a done-for," Mr Cameron will say, calling for the Tories to once again be the party of "aspiration".

Tony Blair made a near-identical call in his speech to Labour delegates last week, while Mr Cameron has attracted suspicion from more traditional Tories for his polished campaign.

Trying to defuse those doubts, Mr Cameron will insist he is about much more than PR. "What I'm talking about is fundamental change that shows we're comfortable with modern Britain and that we believe our best days lie ahead," he will say.