This is the original (uncut) version of the letter published in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday 22nd November 2005. The published version can be found here.

The Editor,
The Telegraph.

Sir,

During this campaign for the leadership David Davis has treated the Conservative members as adults, sharing with them his vision for a future Conservative government with frankness and in some detail. To my mind he has shown that he understands why the Conservative party won elections in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992- as a result of its policies to reform Britain. He is now proposing policies that would continue that work.

People say that the Conservatives need to be better at presentation, that they should appeal to their non-traditional voters, that they should set out economic policies that once again carry credibility after the debacle of 1992 when we were driven out of the European Monetary System. All these things are true and it seems clear to me that David Davis understands them very well. He has the experience and expertise because he shared in many of the Conservatives' reform policies and indeed helped to craft some of them. He was around when the Conservatives were at their most successful in presentation, in their width of appeal and in their pursuit of well-constructed economic policies.

'New' Labour's appeal has come partly from its stealing of the reform ideas of the Conservatives, and partly from the Conservatives' later failures, especially that 1992 debacle. But Labour's pretence of being 'Tory only more competent' is now increasingly exposed; in fact Labour has reversed many reforms, especially in the labour market, tax and regulation, health and education. Only now is it belatedly trying to go back to some of those reforms- but without conviction because the left will probably not permit it. Labour has damaged the economy in a subtle and stealthy way, an economy that the Conservatives left to them in superb condition. Labour has tried to claim credit for the economy's good performance since 1992. But the truth is that this was an inherited success almost entirely. Even Mr. Brown's supposed triumph in making the Bank of England independent was far less important than Mr. Lamont's decision in late 1992 to set up the 'inflation targeting' regime for interest rate setting with a Bank free to state its own position publicly. Now the damage Labour has done is beginning to become apparent, in such things as the UK's slide down the world competitiveness ratings.

David Davis is a substantial figure with a fine mind and an excellent political appeal across the spectrum of voters. I note that he would be inclusive of all the talents on offer in the party for presentation and other aspects of policy. He would of course engage in a careful detailed review of policy which would develop the ideas he has set out in his campaign. But we know what he stands for and he can be trusted because of his record. We know that he is committed to the vision for a free and strong Britain that the Conservatives have stood for consistently over the years. I strongly believe that Conservatives should support him for the leadership.

Yours faithfully,
Patrick Minford
November 20th, 2005

Cardiff University Business School,
Colum Drive,
Cardiff CF10 3EU.