Witney MP David Cameron began the first day of the so-called Tory leadership "beauty contest" in Blackpool today (Mon) as the "Coca Cola Kid".

The next four days will see candidates parade their wares in front of the party faithful at the annual autumn conference.

And as delegates gather by the seaside, veteran Conservative MP Ken Clarke has branded himself the only "Big Beast" in the party, while David Davis has stolen a famous lager commercial catchprase by telling supporters he is the only candidate that can reach parts of the country that others cannot.

However, Mr Cameron, a former director of communications, has also borrowed a line from a famous marketing campaign, and will launch his bid by telling delegates he is the "Real Thing" -- a clever dig at his two main rivals.

Unlike past party conferences where the focus has been on formulating policy, this year's gathering will be very introspective.

Each of the main leadership contenders will get a chance to address the conference in what has been described as a beauty contest.

Mr Cameron last night told the Oxford Mail: "I am saying that if we want it then why not get the real thing rather than a bad imitation.

"The point is that this is a very open contest and I have every chance of getting into the last two.

"I have said all along that we need a big change, a new brand of modern, compassionate Conservatism so that we can win.

"We have lost the last three elections, so we need to be forward looking and embrace the country. And I am the man to do that."

At 38 years old, and with barely five years' Parliamentary experience behind him, Mr Cameron is seen as the rank outsider in the contest, which also includes Liam Fox and Malcolm Rifkind, and will be decided initially by MPs and then by grassroots activists.

After the conference, MPs will vote twice a week on their preferred candidates with the one polling the least number of votes dropping out each time until there are only two left.

The 300,000 Tory members will then have a say on who succeeds Michael Howard.

Later today Mr Cameron will join Ken Clarke in a debate entitled "How do the Conservatives win next time?" ahead of his main conference speech tom- orrow.

On the eve of the conference, former leader Margaret Thatcher has come out in support of Mr Davis, while many of the party's serving old guard are staunch Clarke supporters.

Mr Cameron can only really count on flamboyant Henley MP Boris Johnson as his most high profile backer.