Tories plan reshuffle of Shadow Cabinet

Iain Duncan Smith is to reshuffle his frontbench team in an attempt to sharpen up the Opposition's performance.

The shake-up, expected next week, is designed to produce more effective attacks on the Government. "We need more energy, more vigour," one shadow cabinet minister said yesterday. "We have made a lot of strides but now we need a big move forwards. We need more momentum."

Mr Duncan Smith, who became Tory leader in September last year, is likely to leave senior positions in his Shadow Cabinet unchanged. Tory MPs believe two surprise appointments have proved the most successful ­ Michael Howard as shadow Chancellor and Oliver Letwin as shadow Home Secretary. But the Tory leader is receiving conflicting advice.

Modernisers are calling for a sweeping shake-up to install more shadow ministers prepared to support radical changes to the party's policies and culture. But traditionalists are pressing Mr Duncan Smith to confine the shake-up to hisjunior frontbenchers and make only marginal changes to the Shadow Cabinet.

The plan for a reshuffle reflects concern in Conservative high command that the party needs to mount more successful attacks on the Government and sketch out its own alternative vision.

Mr Duncan Smith will also beef up his backroom team, and plans to recruit a director of communications. Despite calls from Tory activists for the party to find "an Alastair Campbell figure", the recruit will not be an ex-journalist or spin doctor. He or she will co-ordinate the Tories' internal and external communications but will not brief the media.

In a speech last night, the Tory leader acknowledged the scale of the task facing his party after two crushing general election defeats. "We must be positive and as passionate about the things and people we are in favour of, not just the things we are against," he said.

He told the Centre for Policy Studies: "I know our party has to change, if we are to be given the chance to change our country. I know our representatives have to look more like the nation we aspire to lead. And I know that unless people understand that everyone can benefit from our ideas, then no one will."