The Tory conference in Blackpool struggled to move on from questions surrounding the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith in its opening day yesterday.

Whilst the party attempted to focus on public services, today's papers pay more attention to a fringe meeting featuring potential rivals David Davis and Kenneth Clarke.

The FT reports that there is growing support for shadow chancellor Michael Howard as another leadership contender, while chairman Theresa May, who has herself been touted as a contender, urged activists to unite around their leader.

Clarke said he would "probably not" rejoin the frontbench because of Duncan Smith's European policies.

The Sun claims David Davis, Michael Howard, Tim Yeo and Oliver Letwin are "in the frame" for a leadership bid if IDS goes.

And policy analysts raise several question-marks over controversial plans for health and education "passports", which aim to provide greater choice and diversity in public service provision.

Meanwhile the Guardian reports that just 57 companies and campaign groups have hired stalls in the conference exhibition, compared to 94 at the Liberal Democrat conference and 220 at Labour's gathering last week.

But Duncan Smith insisted "we are going to win the next election, I promise you".

Despite Fleet Street's interest in the leadership issue, today's Telegraph concludes that senior Tories have "closed ranks" around Duncan Smith.

But the Times concludes that differences remain over the issue of tax cuts.

At yesterday's conference the Tories also unveiled plans to concentrate on Britain's dangerous drivers.

Shadow transport secretary Tim Collins said the police should focus on the worst offenders rather than target "easy catches".

Meanwhile former frontbencher Andrew Lansley told a fringe meeting that the party risked making the same mistakes as it had done under William Hague.

Predictably, there was also interest in party chairman Theresa May's shoes which yesterday had a zebra print.

She gets backing from the Sun's Page 3 girl, 22-year-old Jo.

"I'd probably wear them for a photo shoot as they're really funky - but I'm not sure I'd wear them out with an outfit," she says.