Too risky to bring back Clarke, top Tories tell Cameron

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The Tory leader is being urged by some MPs to appoint pro-European Mr Clarke as shadow business secretary to take on Labour's returned big-hitter Lord Mandelson. But some prominent Conservatives are privately strongly against such a move.

One shadow cabinet member told The Telegraph: "Ken is a great guy, he is popular, and highly effective at attacking the Government.

"But are we really going to be able to trust him to stick to the party line on Europe? Course not. He is too much of a risk."

Labour could seek to split the Tories ahead of the June European elections on subjects such as the euro and the EU treaty.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague has already responded to talk that the Government could launch fresh moves to scrap the pound by vowing that the Tories would never join the single currency - a stance that puts him at odds with Mr Clarke.

Some party donors may also be reluctant to make further financial gifts if the former Cabinet minister, now 68, returns to the front bench.

"Clarke for shadow chancellor? Over my dead body," said one donor. "I would never give the party another penny."

Mr Cameron has in the past praised senior shadow cabinet ministers including shadow chancellor George Osborne, and shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley. But privately he is said to be concerned that too few of his top team are known by the public.

The Tory leader has also reportedly stepped back from ordering his shadow cabinet members to ditch their lucrative outside interests including more than 20 directorships. His decision has fuelled speculation that Mr Clarke may be brought back as he has substantial income from work outside Parliament.