Unite or die, Duncan Smith tells rebels

Iain Duncan Smith today issued a challenge to his warring Tory party colleagues to "unite or die".

The Tory leader accused what he called a "small group of my Parliamentary colleagues" of seeking to undermine his leadership.

He called a hastily-arranged press conference to issue the "short personal statement" after eight senior Tory backbenchers defied a three-line whip last night and voted in favour of Government proposals for relaxing adoption rules.

Michael Portillo later said: "I reject entirely the unwarranted misinterpretation of the motives of those tens of MPs who were unable to support the party last night."

This is the full text of the statement by Mr Duncan Smith:

"A year ago the Conservative Party chose me overwhelmingly as its first democratically elected leader.

"By electing me the Conservative membership recognised both the need for change but also the need to take the entire Conservative Party along that road.

"Over the last year I have discharged the mandate I was given to the letter.

"I have embarked on the necessary and sometimes painful process of modernisation.

"I have rededicated the Conservatives to improving our public services.

"I have also begun to reconnect the Conservative Party with the views and attitudes of contemporary Britain.

"I have never underestimated the magnitude of the task before us, but nor have I flinched from my resolve that this is a road which the entire party must travel.

"I have sought to do all this with courtesy, decency and honesty, respecting those who would like me to move faster and those who feel threatened by our moving at all.

"Over the last few weeks a small group of my parliamentary colleagues have decided consciously to undermine my leadership.

"For a few, last night's vote was not about adoption but an attempt to challenge my mandate to lead this party.

"We cannot go on in this fashion.

"We have to pull together or we will hang apart.

"If we are to be taken seriously as an opposition, as an alternative Government for this country, we have to work together.

"I cannot allow the efforts of a dedicated team in Parliament or of hundreds of thousands of hardworking volunteers to be sabotaged by self–indulgence or indiscipline.

"The Conservative Party wants to be led. It elected me to lead it in the direction I am now going.

"It will not look kindly on people who put personal ambitions before the interests of the party.

"My message is simple and stark, unite or die."

Mr Duncan Smith was joined on the platform at Conservative Central Office in Smith Square, central London, by deputy leader Michael Ancram, party chairman Theresa May and shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin, who sat in front of a backdrop proclaiming 'Leadership with a purpose' while Mr Duncan Smith delivered his statement.

After reading his statement the Conservative leader left the platform without taking questions.