DAVID CAMERON’S bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party has received a twin endorsement from former Tory leader William Hague and former rival and defeated leadership contender Liam Fox.

Hague said last night that he had already cast his vote for Cameron, whom he described as “the best candidate to modernise the Conservative party, inspire voters and challenge the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown”.

The former leader who resigned four years ago after the Tory’s disastrous election defeat, said Cameron, 39, had “a certain quality which was impossible to define but you know it when you see it”.

Hague, writing in today’s News of the World, added: “Having thought long and hard, I opened up my ballot paper last week and cast my vote for David Cameron.” His endorsement for the shadow education secretary will deliver a hammer blow to the Davis campaign, as Davis had reportedly hoped to convince Hague to join his team as shadow chancellor.

Hague describes Davis as “forceful, energetic and determined” but writes that he made a strategic error in committing to £38 billion in tax cuts, regardless of the state of the economy. Davis, shadow home secretary, said last week he was prepared to borrow to fund tax cuts worth £1,200 a year to the average family if the economy faltered.

Fox said it was a “close call” between the two candidates but he wanted to see the leadership passed to the “next generation”.

Some MPs had expected Fox, the right-wing shadow foreign secretary, to have supported Davis, 56, rather than the more centrist Cameron. He is likely to retain his position as a senior member of the shadow cabinet whichever man leads the party.

The declarations of Fox and Hague bring Cameron’s tally of support among Tory MPs to 109 out of 196, although it is now up to the party’s 254,000 members to decide who takes over.

“I set out a very clear agenda in my own leadership campaign that what I wanted to see was a Conservative party that was very robust on the economy and committed to wealth creation, that was willing to stand up strongly for Britain abroad, but wanted to be seen as more compassionate at home,” said Fox.

“I have decided to back David Cameron because I think the best approach for us to win is one of greater collective decision-making and leadership which accepts that it is important to return to a concept of first among equals.”

As prospective party leader, Cameron is preparing to help Tony Blair push through a series of public service reforms that, aides say, will keep a “wounded” and “isolated” prime minister in power.

The leadership favourite signalled his support for the government against Labour rebels on greater independence for state schools, city academies, benefit reform, foundation hospitals and more private sector involvement in the National Health Service.

Although he argues that he supports Blair’s modernisation of public services because he believes it is the right thing to do, his aides pointed out it is also designed to have the political effect of making Blair look “isolated” from his party. The move comes after the prime minister faced a first Commons defeat over his anti-terrorism bill.

If Cameron becomes the opposition leader next month, it could be Tory votes that keep the prime minister in power. “It will leave Blair badly wounded if the only way he can get his reforms through is with our support,” said a senior aide.

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