Redwood: time for traditional message?

Former Welsh secretary John Redwood has set out a routemap for the next stage in the Tory fightback.

Following a purge of modernisers from Conservative Central Office, the senior Tory has told this website that the party must show how "authentic Conservative policies" would make people's lives better.

Redwood, who describes himself as Iain Duncan Smith's "staunchest ally and supporter", dismissed claims that the party is "veering right" following the dismissal of Mark Macgregor as chief executive.

"I think what he is saying is that we Conservatives need positive commonsense approaches and policies towards the very problems that the government is failing to solve," he said.

Hinting that he is prepared for a political comeback, the former minister says he remains in close contact with the leadership.

"I see Iain Duncan Smith from time-to-time both for private discussions and for general discussions," he told ePolitix.com.

"He is a very approachable leader. He is often around the Commons. I and others see him in the division lobbies, see him over the table in the cafeteria. And sometimes I have a private meeting with him when there are things we wish to discuss.

"He has asked me to do one or two things for the party. I have been very happy to do that. And I look forward to further contact."

Redwood also dismisses suggestions that he has been briefing against party chairman Theresa May.

Asked about a personal comeback, he says: "I have always said that I am very happy to help in any sensible way and if the leader would like me to then I am sure we will discuss it when he thinks it is appropriate.

"He hasn't been asking me to do that in the last week and I was not the source of all the wild press stories."

The man who challenged John Major for the leadership also rejected claims that a return to the frontline would remind voters of past divisions.

"I don't see it like that at all and most of the senior Conservatives lived through John Major's administration. So what? It gave us experiences, some pleasurable, some less pleasurable," said Redwood.

"But we now know that we are a long way from that era and we want to press on and talk about the modern issues. I am a thoroughly modern politician. I live in the present and want to influence the future. I don't think there is any point in dwelling in the past."

Quizzed about why Duncan Smith appeared to flirt with the party modernisers before going on to remove them from key posts, Redwood said: "I think Iain Duncan Smith quite rightly in his first months wanted to bring the party together after a difficult leadership election.

"He correctly recognised there are perceptions amongst the so-called modernisers that the party needed to take on board. I am all in favour of us having a modern image.

"I'm all in favour of us taking good advice on how we should look and appear on television and in photographs. That is fine, we don't want the image to get in the way of the message."

The shift away from the modernising agenda is, says Redwood, "great news".

"It's the clearest signal to the press and public that we're moving on and going forward," he said.