Openly-gay man runs for Tory Leadership...

Nice to see a gay conservative run for the top spot.

Alan Duncan will today become the first openly homosexual man to set out his stall to lead the Conservative Party.

The shadow transport secretary, who is calling for Tories to champion the creation of "a country of liberal economics and liberal attitudes", has made it clear that he would like to stand for the leadership once a contest is declared.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he said: "I'm under no illusion that we are trotting around the paddock ready for the real race.

"We can all see that it's a crowded field which needs to coalesce around fewer people. My ability to stand depends entirely on how that coalition distills."

The Conservative Party would, he argued, benefit from having an openly gay leader because that would be a visible demonstration that it had become more tolerant.

"If it were me [who became leader] everyone would know the party had changed and I don't think anyone would have an excuse to vote Liberal Democrat," he said. Mr Duncan, who will give a speech on the future of the party to pupils at the City of London School today, is the second senior Tory to give a firm indication of his intentions.