Michael Howard has dismissed speculation that he is to rebrand the Conservative Party with a new identity.

In an upbeat assessment of his chances, the Tory leader said he could win the next election and denied that he wanted to change the party's name.

Asked whether a rebranding was on the cards, Howard said: "Absolutely not. Absolutely not. There is nothing wrong with our name.

"Indeed our name encapsulates what we are about - at the very heart of our name there is a little syllable which makes up the word 'serve'.

"It is at the heart of our name and it is at the heart of our purpose. We are here to serve our country.''

The comments came amid weekend reports that the Tories are planning a move to the Millbank Tower office complex which was the birthplace of New Labour.

Howard has already agreed to vacate the party's Smith Square headquarters in a bid to seek a more modern office environment.

Lord Saatchi, the advertising guru and Tory co-chairman, is said to be masterminding a rethink of the party's presentation strategy.

Following a boost in an opinion poll last week, which put the Conservatives two points ahead of Labour, the Tory leader said he could win the next election.

But he stepped back from making any firm commitments about his party's electoral prospects.

"I'm not saying we are going to [win], or we are certain to, that is something the people of our country will decide. But we can, and we have got to make the most of that opportunity," he told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost.