THE course taken by the Conservative leadership contest illustrates why the party is in such poor electoral health.

With Labour in such a dominant parliamentary position, for democracy's sake the country needs a forward-looking opposition capable of mounting an effective challenge.

Sadly, the Tories have been unable to come to terms with the severity of its plight.

Last night, as the two leadership contenders prepared for a televised head-to-head debate, it was two former leaders - Lady Thatcher and John Major - who this week have dominated the campaign.

While Kenneth Clarke and Iain Duncan Smith optimistically talk about unity and harmony, the contributions from the former Prime Ministers only emphasised the divisions and acrimony within the party's ranks.

Increasingly, it is becoming apparent that there is little scope for achieving consensus within the party.

After such a spiteful campaign it is difficult to envisage either candidate carrying the whole of the party with him into the euro referendum and the next General Election.

As long as the Conservative Party remains too busy reflecting at the past to look to the future, its hopes of attracting the votes of those in the centre of politics are slender.

And without the support of Middle England, its hopes of ever again forming a Government are forlorn.

MOTORISTS have come to accept, sometimes grudgingly, the advent of speed cameras. They exist, after all, to improve road safety and to penalise those who break the law.

To be given any credence, it is imperative that this process is administered justly.

The fact that a senior police officer has escaped a ticket because he cannot remember whether he was behind the wheel when his car was pictured breaking the speed limit is a matter of some concern.

Surely it would not have taken extensive inquiries to identify the driver of the car in question.

It begs the question whether a member of the public would have escaped a penalty. We trust it will a question answered by the internal police investigation.