But Prof Sir John Curtice, the country’s foremost polling guru has warned that neither Mr Jenrick nor Mrs Badenoch is likely to reverse the Tories’ struggling fortunes. Writing in The Independent, he questioned whether either had “an adequate understanding of why their party suffered its worst-ever electoral result in July”.

Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has asked the BBC to host a head-to-head televised debate between him and his opponent . He has written to BBC director-general Tim Davie asking for a debate by the end of the coming week as Conservative Party members start to cast their ballots from Thursday.

Robert Jenrick has promised to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Tory party chairman if he wins the Conservative Party leadership election.Mr Jenrick on Sunday said he would appoint the Boris Johnson loyalist despite him losing his seat in the July election.