The Conservatives can win the next general election Michael Howard has claimed.

The leader of the opposition claimed that after his first 100 days in office, the party was now in a position to beat Labour at the polls.

"I think we have made a considerable amount of progress but we have got a long way to go and a great deal to do," he said.

"I think we can win the election. It's for the British people to decide and I don't presume on their judgment.

"I think we already have more developed policies than any recent opposition has had at a similar stage in the parliament."

More members

Speaking in Berlin on Thursday night, he told reporters that the party was now "by far" the biggest political party in Britain with around 320,000 members.

Howard also claimed the Conservatives had secured more than £500,000 in individual donations since he had taken control on November 6.

He revealed that the party would be moving its HQ to new premises in Westminster and that he would visit each of the party's key marginal seats at least once before the next election.

"The recent history of Central Office has not been a happy one and there are too many ghosts there and I wanted to make a change," he said.

Euro vision

His comments followed a speech in which the Tory leader set out his party's vision for the development of a flexible European Union.

He said that May's enlargement would "profoundly change the nature of the European Union".

Arguing that every country approached international affairs on the basis of its own history and culture, Howard said there was "no European national identity".

And in a world of fast-paced change, he said there was an "enormous premium" on flexibility.
 
"In this new environment we need a flexible Europe which puts global competitiveness at its heart," he said.

"It would be idle to pretend that we have it.  We now have to compete against China, India and the Asian economies.  We cannot afford to be complacent."

He added: "We must build a Europe that is flexible.  There is huge scope for improvement. 

"This means that we must be honest about the work that the European Union should and should not do."

New direction

Urging a "new direction" for the EU, he said the Conservatives would adopt a positive approach to Europe.

"I am determined that Britain shall remain a positive and influential member of the European Union," Howard said.

"But British policy towards the EU has often led to worse rather than better relations between states.

"Faced with a new EU initiative, our traditional response has often been to oppose it, to vote against it, to lose the vote, then sulkily to adopt it while blaming everyone else."

Howard called for a new Europe in which only basic single market rules were compulsory.

"But a single market does not require a single social or industrial policy, far less a common taxation policy. 

"Allowing countries to pursue their own policies in these areas will encourage the spread of competitiveness across Europe. 

"Forcing common standards upon them will mean that Europe as a whole falls further and further behind as each member state tries to put its own costs onto its neighbours."

Overlapping circles

Howard said his vision would see states deciding whether to retain national policies in domestic affairs, or alternatively choosing to cooperate with other groupings of EU countries.

"The nations of Europe should come together as a series of overlapping circles: different combinations of member states should be able to pool their responsibilities in different areas of their own choosing," he said.

The Tory leader added that "those member states which wish to integrate more closely would be free to do so". 

If elected to implement the new policy, Howard said his focus would be on areas such as the Common Fisheries Policy or overseas aid.

"We have today a unique opportunity.  An opportunity to recast Europe in the image of the 21st century," said Howard.

"To build a Europe that is truly free, one based on co-operation and not on coercion. 

"One that serves each and every citizen in this great continent of ours, from whatever background and from whatever nation. 

"I hope we can work together to make the most of that opportunity.  History will not forgive us if we squander it.”