Tom Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick join Tory leadership race as James Cleverly leads with MP endorsements - live

Conservative MP for Wetherby and Easingwood, Alec Shelbrooke, told GB News he will be nominating Priti Patel.

“She was here rebuilding the party in 1997 after that defeat. She has had senior roles and she is respected within wings in the party.

“We need to get away from different gangs fighting each other.

“The enemy is not within the Conservative Party, the enemy is the 174 Labour majority sitting opposite us.”

Born in Wimbledon, Kemi Badenoch lived in the US and Nigeria as a child before returning to the UK aged 16.

After graduating from the University of Sussex with a master's degree in computer systems engineering, she worked for companies including the Royal Bank of Scotland, private bank Coutts, and the Spectator magazine.

She joined the Conservative Party in 2005, aged 25.

In the 2017 election, she stood in the safe Conservative seat of Saffron Walden in Essex and was elected to Parliament.

Ms Badenoch was a supporter of Brexit. In her maiden Parliament speech, she described the referendum as “the greatest ever vote of confidence in the project of the United Kingdom”.

She most recently served as Business and Trade Secretary as well as the minister for women and equalities.

Tom Tugendhat has become the second senior Tory to announce a leadership bid, indicating he would be prepared to quit the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to protect the UK’s borders.

The shadow security minister, who joined James Cleverly in publicly declaring his leadership ambitions, insisted he could lead the Conservatives to victory at the next general election.

In his first round of interviews since entering the contest, Mr Tugendhat echoed Rishi Sunak’s stance on the ECHR, attempting to toe the line between appealing to right-wingers and not spooking more moderate Conservatives.

He said he would be willing to quit the convention if he believed it no longer “served the interests of the British people”.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:

Tom Tugendhat said he had been surprised by Liz Truss’s recklessness as he was quizzed about previously backing her.

“I stood against every other leadership contender at the last time and then I was left with the choice of two,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

He added: “Liz demonstrated a recklessness that surprised all of us.” The contender for the Conservative leadership dodged questions of whether backing Ms Truss and her economic plan showed a lack of judgment on his part.

He said: “What we need to be doing is focusing on the challenges that are facing us in the future. Over the last three, four years - you’re absolutely right. We have failed to deliver. That’s exactly why I’m standing because I think we need to unite this country. We need to rebuild that trust, and we need to deliver.”

The former minister has hit out at Labour after the party accused the Tories of leaving a challenging government behind.

Mr Stride said: “More evidence the economy is heading in a positive direction, while Labour continue to talk it down to fit their own fantasy narrative.

“They have inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7, we can’t let them get away with claiming otherwise.”

The Tory MP is expected to announce his leadership bid today as three candidates threw their hats in the ring.

The former immigration secretary has now received the backing of two Tory MPs.

MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham Caroline Johnson has announced she is supporting his leadership bid.

In a tweet, she said: “Pleased to nominate Rob Jenrick to lead the Conservative Party. Rob has sound Conservative principles and the temperament and attributes to be a great leader.”

It comes as Tory MP Danny Kruger, who is Mr Jenrick’s campaign manager, claimed the leader hopeful can “bring our party together”.

MP for South West Hertfordshire Gagan Mohindra has announced he is backing James Cleverly.

He Tweeted: “Only James can unite our party, hold the government to account, and win the next General Election. That’s why I’m backing James Cleverly for Leader.”

Mr Mohindra is the third MP to support the shadow home secretary’s bid alongside Peter Fortune and Simon Hoare.