The Conservatives in Brighton: Clarke attacks 'turncoat' in radio interview

KENNETH CLARKE accused Kenneth Baker, the former Conservative Party chairman, yesterday of being a turncoat over Europe, writes Colin Brown.

Mr Baker said in an interview for The World at One on Radio 4: 'I have always been something of a Euro-sceptic. I made my views very clear in the past. For example when it came to the ERM, I argued with Margaret Thatcher against going in, certainly against going in at DM2.95.'

Mr Clarke, Home Secretary, said on the same programme: 'He is an old friend of mine but frankly I sat through all these meetings. I heard what Ken said. I heard Ken's reaction after the negotiations (on Maastricht). Ken Baker never expressed the slightest doubt about what he regarded as a successful negotiation.'