Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh has thrown her weight behind Kenneth Clarke in the battle for leadership of the Conservative Party.

She described the heavyweight former chancellor as a "political giant" and backed him to win back the party's lost supporters.

Miss McIntosh said: "The Conservative Party is a party of many talents, but I believe Ken to be the best placed to rebuild Conservative fortunes in the coming months and years.

"He is a political giant and has the most popular appeal and unparalleled experience in a field of well-qualified candidates.

"I personally feel I could work with any of the declared candidates, but Ken

Clarke stands out head and shoulders above the rest."

Bookmakers have made Mr Clarke 2-1 second favourite to win the contest.

He has dismissed all his rivals - apart from favourite Michael Portillo - as incapable of winning.

His other rivals to succeed William Hague are York-born outsider David Davis, former party chairman Michael Ancram, who attended Ampleforth School, and Shadow Defence Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.

Mr Clarke, who is 60, claims he is best placed to stop the Tories dividing themselves over Europe and fight Labour on the economy and public services.

He has pledged to scrap opposition to the Nice Treaty, let shadow ministers campaign as they wish on the euro, offer a shadow cabinet post to Mr Portillo and focus on health and the economy.

His problem will be his pro-European stance, which is unpopular with many Tory MPs. The 166 Tory MPs will choose two candidates before a ballot of all 350,000 Conservative members.

This is Mr Clarke's second attempt to lead his party - he lost in the last round to William Hague in 1997.

Updated: 11:11 Thursday, June 28, 2001