Major tells his Cabinet to relaunch 'Back to Basics'

resignation over his illegitimate child. Mr Major requires a right-wing

attempt to hijack his policy to be defeated.

Yesterday, he took the lead in Downing Street to try to kill Tory

grassroots criticisms that he has not spelt out precisely what he means.

On Sunday, he will appear on breakfast television with David Frost to

emphasise that he is not trying to dictate personal morality to the

nation.

''Back to Basics isn't about a question of personal morality,'' said

Mr Major on the Downing Street pavement. ''What we are seeking to do is

to push to one side many of these fashionable theories that have taken

root over recent years that we believe are a denial of common sense.''

The Prime Minister is talking about education and crime but his right

wing is trying to develop the policy into a Thatcherite morality

crusade. The Yeo case over the last fortnight has given Tory right

wingers like Mr David Evans, newly elected to the executive of the back

benchers' 1922 Committee, a free hand.

Labour Leader John Smith spotted the Tory division yesterday. He

issued a statement declaring: ''Back to Basics appears to be a jellyfish

theory, able to be adapted to the latest Tory contradiction.''

He described the Government theme, launched at the Tory conference, as

being in ''hopeless confusion, contradiction, and muddle''. Mr Smith

will decide on Monday whether to switch his planned attack on the

Government's Health Service proposals to Mr Major's ''Back to Basics''

confusion. He has booked time for a Labour-sponsored debate on Thursday.

The Prime Minister's bland statement yesterday in the aftermath of the

Yeo resignation underlies a serious battle of wills between the right

wing of the Tory party and the Prime Minister. Last autumn's Tory

conference was taken over by right-wing Ministers to launch a moral

crusade that was not in Mr Major's plan.

Now he has to reassert his own policy beyond the wishes of the

Thatcherites. His Cabinet colleagues have been made aware that their

total loyalty on the issue is commanded. His Treasury Chief Secretary,

Mr Michael Portillo, has not involved himself in the Yeo case. Social

Services Secretary Peter Lilley has done likewise and is abroad.

The focus this weekend falls on the third ultra-right wing Cabinet

member, Welsh Secretary John Redwood, who sought to exploit Mr Yeo's

personal plight. He is now expected to find a public opportunity to

support Mr Major this weekend.

The Commons returns on Tuesday, when Mr Major will be attending the

Nato summit in Brussels. However, his credibility in the Tory

constituencies and on his back benches will be at stake after the Yeo

affair, when he stood back and let a right-wing constituency party sack

a member of his Government.