PREMIUM --

PA file photo dated 02/05/2003 of Crispin Blunt who Wednesday 8 June 2005 quit his post as an Opposition whip in order to back Sir Malcolm Rifkind's likely bid to succeed Michael Howard as Conservative leader.
In a statement, the Reigate MP said: "Yesterday it became clear that Sir Malcolm Rifkind will in all probability stand for the leadership of the Conservative Party later in the year. Following my four years as Malcolm Rifkind's special adviser when he was Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary, my personal and professional respect for Sir Malcolm is well-known. In any leadership contest it is necessary that the Whips' Office remains publicly neutral regardless of the private views of individual members of that Office. See PA Story POLITICS Tories. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Photo credit should read:/PA