Grassroots' darling ready for lead role in election campaign
AS a favourite of the party faithful and one of the few northerners at the top of the Tory party, William Hague is preparing for a key role in the election campaign.
He confirmed he will be at the forefront of campaigning in Yorkshire, the North West, Scotland and Wales in a strategy aimed at countering concerns that the party is southern-focused.
"I will be very very heavily involved in the campaign and particularly those areas – and obviously for me the north of England is where I will spend most of my time," said the Richmond MP, who led the party in the 2001 campaign.
Mr Hague said he was preparing for a "busy" campaign in which he would return to London frequently in his role as David Cameron's deputy "in all but name".