Shropshire Star

And the next Tory leader will be . . . who do you think?

David Cameron said he was proud there was such a "talented bunch" of rivals jostling over who will succeed him as Conservative Party leader.

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He spoke as two of the main contenders, Boris Johnson and Theresa May, took their turn in the conference.

The Prime Minister insisted he would not be tempted to reverse his declared intent to step aside after two terms in 10 Downing Street, telling punters not to bother betting on him carrying on.

Mrs May, who the PM said had been an "excellent" Home Secretary, and London Mayor Mr Johnson addressed party members the day after Chancellor George Osborne. Mr Cameron said: "I've also got a talented team behind me and after I've done the two terms I'm sure there'll be many talented people who put their name forward. I'm proud that they are increasingly being noticed as a talented bunch."

Asked for advice on who to put money on, he said: "I'm not really a betting man. My dad was but luckily I never really inherited the habit." Mr Cameron denied that Mr Osborne was his "chosen successor", adding: "It's not for me to choose a successor. We have a system where Members of Parliament vote and choose two candidates and then members of our party vote and choose the eventual winner."

Mr Osborne currently leads betting, with Sajid Javid completing the shortlist. But the election of rank outsider Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has made tipsters wary of predicting the result.

Star comment: Jostling for position as new leader

When Prime Minister David Cameron allowed a journalist into his kitchen during the run-up to the General Election, he can little have imagined how things would pan out.

At the time, many expected the Conservatives to lose power to Labour, or to a coalition of Labour and SNP MPs.

He made an off-the-cuff remark, telling the journalist that even if he did win, he would not continue beyond a second term.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Mr Cameron secured an unexpected victory but his pre-election remark has become the focus of the Tory party conference, where the three probable successors are jostling for position in their race to succeed him.

Chancellor George Osborne has become the bookies' favourite and his leading position in Mr Cameron's Government seems to underscore that. His speeches at the Conservative conference ethis week enabled him to set out the platform from which he will bid to become PM.

He was deferential towards his boss, while intelligently positioning himself as a man who will campaign for Middle England. His extended hand to former Labour supporters was a smart move and one that may help the Conservatives win all-important floating voters.

Mr Osborne will not have things all his own way, however. He will face a fight every bit as tough as that between Mr Cameron and his vanquished leadership opponent, David Davis. Mr Davis was expected to win that particular tussle and indeed secured a lead during the First Ballot. However, a canny, notes-free speech to the Tory faithful helped turn the battle decisively in his favour.

Theresa May and Boris Johnson, the two gearing up to tackle Mr Osborne, will be hoping for a similar swing. They are using the Conservative Party Conference as an opportunity to stake their claim to the premiership.

Even Mr Cameron has acknowledged the competition and it will be interesting to see how things play out over the next couple of years. The choice of the next leader will be crucial. Recent history shows it can have a huge impact on the health of the party and its chances of election success. The Tory faithful will want the change to be seamless. With the referendum on Britain's membership of the EU looming, however, expect some twists and turns before Mr Cameron's successor is finally crowned.

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