David Cameron today gave a clear indication that he will be a candidate in the contest to succeed Michael Howard as leader of the Conservative Party.

The youthful Shadow Education Secretary said in a keynote speech on Tory education policy today that he did not take part in last night’s vote by Tory MPs on reform of the rules for electing a leader because anyone contemplating running for the leadership should refrain from such a vote.

The party’s backbench 1922 committee voted for a change to the rules, which would give Tory MPs the final say on the leadership, with the party’s activists, MEPs and peers restricted to a consultative role.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Cameron confirmed that he was present at last night’s meeting in the Commons. But the 38-year-old Witney MP, second favourite with the bookmakers behind David Davis to succeed Mr Howard, went on: "I didn’t vote at all actually. I think anyone contemplating taking part in this contest should probably not vote on the new system."

Mr Cameron, regarded as a compassionate Conservative and a moderniser, is scheduled to give another speech to the Policy Exchange think-tank in London tonight, in which he will talk of the need for the Tories to set out their fundamental values to the voters.

He will say: "In opposition - every bit as much as in government - politicians need to set out what they believe in, what their goals are, and what their compass will be. If you don’t - and if you don’t stick to them - you will get buffeted from one issue to another."

Ahead of last night’s meeting of the 1922 committee, rumours were rife at Westminster of a plot to scrap the reforms and push ahead with an early leadership contest. But the committee’s decision should mean that the reform process continues to the timetable set by outgoing leader Mr Howard, keeping him in post until October.

Mr Howard has vowed to stay on to oversee reforms, including changes to the rules which led to Iain Duncan Smith’s election as leader. He had proposed a system that would see a candidate chosen by the voluntary party pitted against one selected by MPs. But although many MPs felt activists should retain some involvement, last night’s meeting voted to strip ordinary members of the power to choose the party leader.

The decision could be a blow to Mr Davis, who believes he has strong support among the Tory grassroots. Although allies are confident he can win under any system, it gives his many potential rivals time to build momentum.

If approved, the new system will begin with a secret ballot of MPs. The names of those securing more than 10 per cent will be put to the voluntary party, Conservatives MEPs and peers for consultation.

Constituency association chairmen and women will make their members’ views known to the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee. The feedback will then be passed to the Parliamentary party before they vote to decide on a leader.

In his interview, Mr Cameron said he was content with the lengthy timetable for the change in the leadership set out by Mr Howard. Asked whether he backed the current timetable, he said: "Absolutely, I think it is quite right."

Theresa May, shadow secretary of state for the family and culture, media and sport, also made a high profile speech today, arguing the case for more women in the ranks of Tory MPs.

In what is likely to be interpreted as a hint that she is toying with the idea of contesting the leadership herself, Ms May asked: "Are we really saying there is no prospect of a woman heading any of the political parties in the near future?"

Ms May is rated a 33-1 shot with the bookmakers to succeed Mr Howard. She told a London meeting of the Adelaide Group, a 750-strong group of senior businesswomen, that the party should put together a 100-strong "A Team" of outstanding candidates to fight its top target seats - and ensure women make up half the list.

And she called on the party to take a long hard look at how it relates to the electorate if it is to avoid being regarded as the "unpleasant medicine" of British politics, only to be administered in small doses.

Three years ago Ms May told the Conservatives’ annual conference that too many voters saw them as the "nasty party". Today she warned that the Tory brand remains "very badly damaged, and called on the party to clearly identify its values to the voters.

She said: "So long as we allow ourselves to be defined more by what we are against than what we are for, and to be viewed as the unpleasant medicine of British politics - a necessary treatment but only to be administered in limited doses - ... then we are done for."

Earlier, Ms May said in an interview on the ITV News Channel that she was unaware of any moves to displace Mr Howard early. She said: "As far as I am aware, there has not been any signatures collected to oust Michael Howard as leader. And I sincerely hope it is not happening, because I think that would give absolutely the wrong impression and the wrong signal of us as a party."

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