TORY leadership hopeful Kenneth Clarke was in York today, pursuing his campaign by speaking to the party faithful in the city.

The former chancellor arrived at the College of Ripon and York St John for a 90-minute address to almost 100 of the city's Conservatives.

The event comes only days before Mr Clarke and his opponent, Iain Duncan Smith, reach the end of their election battle.

And North Yorkshire will become their final campaign ground as the two go head-to-head in their last hustings meeting in Harrogate Grammar School on Friday.

Speaking in York today, Mr Clarke said: "This is almost the last meeting of a very long campaign. We have a lot of members in this area and a lot of voters, although I have no idea if they will be voting for me. We won't know that until after they vote."

Today's meeting was expected to be about internal Conservative Party issues.

"It will be my usual speech about the state of the Conservative Party and how to win the election," said Mr Clarke.

But he spoke to the Evening Press about the foot and mouth crisis, which still necessitates major restrictions across much of North Yorkshire.

"I am supporting the demand for a public inquiry into foot and mouth," he said.

"The Prime Minister has completely failed to deal with the crisis, but that is not my reason for wanting an inquiry. We need it to determine how the outbreak happened, and how to have proper decision-making if it happens again."

He also criticised calls being made in Yorkshire for a regional government, possibly with its seat in York.

"I am opposed to regional government," he said. "The reason is I think it's not local enough. People identify with their county, their borough and their city. Yorkshire itself is so disparate. People in Barnsley don't feel they identify with those in Richmond."

The results of the leadership vote will be known on September 12.

Updated: 16:29 Wednesday, September 05, 2001