Cameron blasts 'ridiculous' critics

David Cameron has lashed out at critics of his leadership, insisting he will not be forced to make a "false choice" between traditional Tory values and modernising the party.

David Cameron has dismissed his critics complaints as ridiculous David Cameron has dismissed his critics' complaints as 'ridiculous'

In a highly personal speech, Mr Cameron lambasted disaffected elements on both Conservative wings, dismissing their complaints as "ridiculous".

He told an audience of candidates and activists in central London that to win power he must be allowed to combine tough approaches on issues such as crime and Europe with support for gay rights and civil partnerships.

The defiant response came after it emerged that a third senior Conservative in a week had been recruited as an adviser by Gordon Brown.

Johan Eliasch is understood to have become disgruntled because Mr Cameron had given in to Tory traditionalists and "lurched to the right". The millionaire businessman resigned as deputy treasurer earlier this week, and has now become the Prime Minister's special representative to conduct a review on deforestation and clean energy.

Mr Eliasch - who has loaned the Tories £2.5 million - will not renew his party membership, although he insisted he would not be joining Labour.

"Climate change is my particular interest and I have already set up an organisation called Cool Earth to address this global issue," he said in a statement. "There is a universal agreement that climate change must be addressed, so this is not a political party issue, and therefore I shall not be a member of any political party during this important work."

Internal divisions and gaffes have been threatening to derail Mr Cameron's fightback this week after a torrid summer which saw him lagging far behind Mr Brown in the polls. Tory MPs John Bercow and Patrick Mercer have been controversially drafted in as advisers to the Government, while former deputy leader Michael Ancram accused the leadership of "trashing" the party's Thatcherite heritage.

But Mr Cameron quashed any suggestion of a change in approach when he told activists that abandoning issues such as gay rights and the environment would be a "betrayal of Conservative values".

"Forget about those on the left who say I shouldn't talk about Europe, crime or lower taxes or those on the right who say I shouldn't talk about the NHS, the environment or well-being. That is a false choice and one I will not make. All these areas of policy matter to people in Britain today and they are all long overdue for the modern Conservative freedom and control agenda."

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?