AS THE rift among the Tories gapes wide open again, the immediate question for the country is not so much where it is going over the issue of the single currency, but whether there may be a Conservative Party left if this feud rips it apart completely.

For while leader William Hague is nailed to his policy of ruling out the single currency for 10 years, the opposition to that in his camp is gathering some mighty big guns.

It may be that Mr Hague dismisses them as yesterday's men, but the gathering of a former prime minister, two deputy prime ministers and six ex-ministers around the Tory Positive European Group throws up the prospect of a leadership challenge and perhaps even a final split in the party.

And no matter how confident the new young leader may be that the majority of Tories - and voters - are as Euro-sceptic as are he and the Shadow Cabinet, the internal battle over the future of the pound could yet be his own undoing and, ultimately, that of the Tories.

For despite his own assertiveness, Mr Hague's position is weak in that eight months on from the Tories' election disaster, he and the party have failed to mount any credible opposition to the government - over Europe or anything else.

It is this fact, coupled with the rekindling of the party's damaging civil war over Europe that could lead to the view that the choice of Mr Hague was a mistake and light the touch paper for a coup that blows the Tory Party apart and into oblivion.

Its leader, presiding over the endless in-fighting, cuts a figure like the loser Michael Foot during his days at the head of riven Old Labour.

Mr Hague may lack the wrinkles and the duffle coat, but the comparison remains fair.

And even if he wins the battle over Europe in the Tory Party, he may end up leading it into a long, long era as a minority party as his opponents jump ship.

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