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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Tories in Digby mayor offer spat | Tories in Digby mayor offer spat |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The Tories have hit back at claims by Labour minister Sir Digby Jones that he "categorically" rejected an offer to be the party's London mayoral candidate. | The Tories have hit back at claims by Labour minister Sir Digby Jones that he "categorically" rejected an offer to be the party's London mayoral candidate. |
| Sir Digby spoke to Tory leader David Cameron two months ago when he was considering running for mayor. | Sir Digby spoke to Tory leader David Cameron two months ago when he was considering running for mayor. |
| He says he instantly rejected Mr Cameron's offer to be a Tory candidate as he would have had to join the party. | He says he instantly rejected Mr Cameron's offer to be a Tory candidate as he would have had to join the party. |
| But a Tory spokesman insisted Sir Digby had promised to consider standing for the Conservatives. | But a Tory spokesman insisted Sir Digby had promised to consider standing for the Conservatives. |
| Sir Digby has told the BBC he was sounded out about the possibility of entering the mayoral contest by business contacts. | |
| His attempt to deny this is a rather desperate attempt to be loved by the Labour Party Tory spokesman "This group of businessmen rang me up and I said I would think about it as an independent," he said. | His attempt to deny this is a rather desperate attempt to be loved by the Labour Party Tory spokesman "This group of businessmen rang me up and I said I would think about it as an independent," he said. |
| He said he was then telephoned by Mr Cameron over the May Bank Holiday weekend - just over a week after former BBC director general Greg Dyke rejected a Tory approach over the mayoral race. | He said he was then telephoned by Mr Cameron over the May Bank Holiday weekend - just over a week after former BBC director general Greg Dyke rejected a Tory approach over the mayoral race. |
| 'Fabulous' | 'Fabulous' |
| Mr Cameron told Sir Digby it would be "fabulous" if he became the party's candidate, the former CBI chief claimed. | Mr Cameron told Sir Digby it would be "fabulous" if he became the party's candidate, the former CBI chief claimed. |
| But he also made it clear Sir Digby would have to join the Tory party if he wanted to be their candidate. | But he also made it clear Sir Digby would have to join the Tory party if he wanted to be their candidate. |
| Sir Digby said he replied "categorically not...and on that basis, it all went very quiet". | Sir Digby said he replied "categorically not...and on that basis, it all went very quiet". |
| Digby clearly believes that the nation is best served by working as a minister in Gordon Brown's government Labour spokesman | Digby clearly believes that the nation is best served by working as a minister in Gordon Brown's government Labour spokesman |
| But the Conservatives disputed Sir Digby's version of events. | But the Conservatives disputed Sir Digby's version of events. |
| A Tory spokesman said Sir Digby had spoken to a "senior Tory MP" about the prospect of becoming a mayoral candidate and a phone call was set up between Mr Cameron and the former CBI chief. | A Tory spokesman said Sir Digby had spoken to a "senior Tory MP" about the prospect of becoming a mayoral candidate and a phone call was set up between Mr Cameron and the former CBI chief. |
| "Although he expressed a preference to stand as an independent, he definitely said he would consider standing as a Conservative candidate," a Tory spokesman said. | "Although he expressed a preference to stand as an independent, he definitely said he would consider standing as a Conservative candidate," a Tory spokesman said. |
| "His attempt to deny this is a rather desperate attempt to be loved by the Labour Party." | "His attempt to deny this is a rather desperate attempt to be loved by the Labour Party." |
| Sir Digby is one of a string of non-Labour figures to be drafted into Gordon Brown's first government. | Sir Digby is one of a string of non-Labour figures to be drafted into Gordon Brown's first government. |
| He is to be made a peer and will work as trade promotion and investment minister in the department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. | He is to be made a peer and will work as trade promotion and investment minister in the department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. |
| He will sit on the Labour benches in the House of Lords and will be expected to vote with Labour peers but he has refused to join the party. | He will sit on the Labour benches in the House of Lords and will be expected to vote with Labour peers but he has refused to join the party. |
| Labour 'disquiet' | Labour 'disquiet' |
| He has upset some in the Labour ranks after saying he hoped the party would become "less in thrall" to the unions. | He has upset some in the Labour ranks after saying he hoped the party would become "less in thrall" to the unions. |
| At a regular meeting of Labour peers on Wednesday night there was "a lot of disquiet" expressed about his appointment, BBC Newsnight's Michael Crick reported. | At a regular meeting of Labour peers on Wednesday night there was "a lot of disquiet" expressed about his appointment, BBC Newsnight's Michael Crick reported. |
| But Labour has seized on Sir Digby's apparent rejection of Mr Cameron to attack the party over its quest to find a well-known candidate to take on Labour's Ken Livingstone in London next year. | But Labour has seized on Sir Digby's apparent rejection of Mr Cameron to attack the party over its quest to find a well-known candidate to take on Labour's Ken Livingstone in London next year. |
| 'Long line' | 'Long line' |
| A Labour spokesman said: "Digby is one in a long line of people linked with the Tories' desperate search to find someone who wants to be their candidate for London mayor. | A Labour spokesman said: "Digby is one in a long line of people linked with the Tories' desperate search to find someone who wants to be their candidate for London mayor. |
| "Digby clearly believes that the nation is best served by working as a minister in Gordon Brown's government." | "Digby clearly believes that the nation is best served by working as a minister in Gordon Brown's government." |
| Tory higher education spokesman Boris Johnson is the latest figure to be linked with the Tory mayoral candidacy, although the party still plans to push ahead with a series of public votes over the final decision. | Tory higher education spokesman Boris Johnson is the latest figure to be linked with the Tory mayoral candidacy, although the party still plans to push ahead with a series of public votes over the final decision. |
| Applications to be the Tory candidate have to be in by 16 July. | Applications to be the Tory candidate have to be in by 16 July. |