There is concern that Duncan Smith has dropped modernising agenda

Mr Redwood is being tipped for a return to the Tory front bench amid reports that party "modernisers" are losing their influence.

Conservative chief executive Mark MacGregor was the latest so-called moderniser to depart, leaving last week to head up Steve Norris' campaign to be London mayor.

Party officials have apologised for misleading the media after denying Tory chairman Theresa May was meeting members of the Conservative board.

Earlier, Mrs May denied any crisis talks were taking place, but party officials later said she had met members of the Conservative board to discuss "various matters".

During a visit to Brussels, Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith was dismissive of talk of renewed infighting.

"No one in the public is in the slightest bit interested in the inner workings of the Conservative party," said Mr Duncan Smith.

"On a day when another poll confirms we are just a point behind Labour, I think what the lobby should do is focus on the things that really matter to British people."

Conservative solutions

With traditionalists pleased with the changes, Mr Redwood told BBC Radio 4's World At One: "It's time to move on. I think it's time to deepen and widen the modernising that's in place.

"For example, they highlighted that we do care passionately about those in unfortunate positions in life.

"But we now need to say what we are going to do about it. We need to show that there are good Conservative ways of helping people to help themselves."

If the leadership wants me to serve in some other capacity, I am quite happy to talk to them John Redwood

It was a good idea to have a new team to take forward the party's work, said Mr Redwood.

He rejected suggestions that Mr Duncan Smith was repeating William Hague's example of retreating into a bunker mentality by surrounding himself with traditionalists.

Mr Redwood added: "The public is mightily angry with this government. This government has lost it with the public in a big way, over the war and over the economy.

"We, the Conservatives, must speak for that anger, that disappointment."

Mr Redwood said he was happy to talk to the party leadership about any new role they might have for him.

Tory officials have denied reports that Mr Duncan Smith is preparing to sack party chairman Theresa May.

'Comeback'

Mrs May marked out her modernising credentials last year when she told the Tory conference the party had to ditch its "nasty" image.

On Wednesday, Mr Redwood said he never shared that view of the party.

Theresa May denied claims that crisis talks were under way

Many hard working volunteers "are quietly confident today that their leader is choosing a team of people who want to work closely and strongly with them to take us on to the next stage of mounting the Conservative comeback", he added.

Mr MacGregor is not the only top modernising official to leave Conservative Central Office in recent months.

Director of policy Rick Nye resigned last week and last year both head of strategy Dominic Cummings and chief of staff Jenny Ungless left their posts.

Concerns among Conservative board members are thought to have prompted their meetings with Mrs May.

Dying agenda?

Mr MacGregor was a former supporter of Michael Portillo whose departure will have pleased Conservative right-wingers.

Their delight was increased when former Tory MP Barry Legg, seen as a traditional right-winger, was made chief executive and chief of staff.

The Times quoted one right-winger saying: "The modernising agenda is dead. It has failed and it has been seen to fail."

Shadow cabinet ministers like Oliver Letwin insisted there was no change in strategy.

But one moderniser privately told BBC News the party looked set to "commit kamikaze on a slow guard mower".

Earlier, this week Tory MP John Bercow expressed his fears that the modernising agenda was being sidelined or even lost with the departure of Mr MacGregor.