I know, it’s not quite an anagram…but I like the idea of Ken Clarke as a pot-bellied, cigar-smoking superman come to save the Tories from their credit crunch-induced sense of drift.

And yes, you read it here first - maybe - that the 68-year old has at last agreed to make a return to the Tory front bench as shadow business secretary. This is part of a wider reshuffle in which Alan Duncan will remain in the shadow cabinet.

The prospect of Clarke vs Mandelson will have the Westminster world salivating, although the more eurosceptic Tories will be hacked off. Expect to read more about this in tomorrow’s papers.

January 19, 2009 12:09am in Conservatives | Comment