Kemi Badenoch backs Rishi Sunak as Tory Right splits its forces

• Who's backing whom? The latest numbers

• The inside story of the downfall of Liz Truss

• How 'Boulder Boris' is causing a frenzy

• Sunak or Johnson? The Tory Right can't decide

• Join our Telegraph Politics WhatsApp group

Kemi Badenoch has backed Rishi Sunak to be the next prime minister in a major boost to the former chancellor’s campaign to enter Number 10.

On Saturday night, the Trade Secretary – who is an influential figure on the Right of the party and with the Tory membership – delivered her coveted endorsement to Mr Sunak.

Ms Badenoch told The Telegraph: “I’m a big fan of Boris and he got the party through a very difficult situation in 2019. We are now in a different political climate that requires a different approach.”

The endorsement came as Boris Johnson and Mr Sunak continue to battle it out for the support of the Brexiteer wing of the Conservative party.

Earlier in the day, former home secretary Priti Patel announced she was backing Mr Johnson to return as prime minister.

Ms Patel said that her former boss had “the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right”.

She added that Mr Johnson would be able to “bring together a united team” to “lead Britain to a stronger and more prosperous future”.

Mr Johnson’s other endorsements on the Right include Jacob Rees-Mogg, Business Secretary; Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Transport Secretary; and Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland Secretary.

Outside of the Cabinet, Mr Johnson is being backed by Nadine Dorries, Marco Longhi, Andrea Jenkyns and David Morris, while veteran backbencher Sir Christopher Chope said he would receive his nomination because “[I] didn’t want to get rid of him in the first place”.

But on Saturday, Mr Sunak also received a string of Right-wing endorsements, including Tory MPs David Davis, Tom Hunt and Tim Loughton, as well as the backing of former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost.

Lord Frost, who worked for Mr Johnson in the Foreign Office before being appointed to sit in his Cabinet, is one of the former chancellor’s most prized endorsements on the Right of the party.

In what is likely to be a personal blow to the former prime minister, Lord Frost said that “Boris Johnson will always be a hero for delivering Brexit” but “we must move on”.

“It is simply not right to risk repeating the chaos and confusion of the last year,” he tweeted. “The Tory Party must get behind a capable leader who can deliver a Conservative programme. That is Rishi Sunak.”

Lord Frost had backed Liz Truss during the summer’s leadership race. In July, he wrote in The Telegraph that he had been dissuaded from backing Mr Sunak because he was “the candidate of continuity with traditional economic management”.

Lord Frost said in the article that the former chancellor’s policy of “planned tax rises” and “a more cautious, selective approach to economic reform” was “perfectly respectable – but I don’t believe it is what the country needs just now”.

Mr Johnson has been less successful in securing public nominations from those on the centre and Left of the party.

On Saturday, trade minister Greg Hands said that Mr Johnson would struggle to form a government.

“I like Boris, but bringing him back would be retrograde,” he tweeted. “What finally finished Boris on July 7 wasn’t the parties or even the Privileges Committee – it was that he wasn’t able to form a government.

“Sixty eight members of the government had resigned in 24 hours – and more were coming. How could any of those 68 serve, just weeks after?”

Mr Hands revealed that on the evening of July 6, Mr Johnson “offered me Northern Ireland secretary”, which was “a position not to be thrown around lightly”.

“I think he would have offered me almost anything,” he said. “I refused. I have no reason to have any more confidence today that he could put together an effective government.”

He added: “Some of my colleagues think he could win a 2024 general election. But if you can’t form a workable, effective and stable government, you’ll never get to 2023, let alone 2024.

“Being elected the leader of the largest party in Parliament, but without being able to form a stable government, would be a new set of circumstances which could lead to constitutional crisis and early general election in chaotic circumstances.”

On the Right of the party, there have been concerns about splitting the vote between Mr Johnson and another contender, with Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch initially being touted as potential candidates.

The Telegraph understands that the European Research Group of Tory MPs is due to hold a mass meeting on Monday morning to decide which candidate to back.

The 92 Group – which represents 200 Conservative MPs – is also due to meet on Monday.

There have also been concerns among Right-wing Tory MPs that the spectacular failure of Ms Truss’s premiership could feed a potential backlash from the public and even the membership to anyone standing on the Right.

A MP told The Telegraph last week: “There's real uncertainty about whether the membership says: the Right had a go and they failed. There are arguments that that is how the general public will see it. It may be members say: Rishi is the one that we need.”

Here is how Saturday's key developments in the Tory leadership race played out:

07:33 PM

That's all for tonight...

Long-time allies of Boris Johnson coalesced around Rishi Sunak on Saturday as the former chancellor won the backing of Kemi Badenoch, Lord Frost and Steve Barclay.

Ms Badenoch insisted she had been a member of the "Boris Johnson fan club" in the past but a prudent approach to the nation's finances was needed, while Lord Frost - who supported Liz Truss in the summer - also lent his support to the former chancellor.

Mr Sunak continued to accumulate new public endorsements into the evening, and as he cruised past 100 public nominations, the threshold needed among Tory MPs by 2pm on Monday, it will have given Boris Johnson food for thought on his return to British soil.

Mid-afternoon, Mr Johnson was pictured in central London calling round members of the 2017 and 2019 intake of MPs, as he appeared to take soundings over what would be a remarkable political comeback a mere seven weeks after he was ousted from No 10.

But as another whiplash-inducing day of high political drama comes to a close, it is advantage Sunak. And with a planned meeting between the two political foes reportedly delayed several times today, the stage remained set for a battle royale between two contenders offering very different visions for their party and country.

07:10 PM

Penny Mordaunt: Our abiding mission should be the country, not the party

The Conservative leadership contest will be over by the end of the week. Mercifully, it will be short, writes Penny Mordaunt.

There will be much agreement that 10 Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquarters operations must improve, that we must modernise Whitehall, rebuild our reputation for sound money and social policy and what a threat Labour is to our country’s progress.

There will be anger at the way the SNP has drowned a proud people in an ocean of hatred.

There may be disagreements. Perhaps these will be on economic policy or the territorial integrity of the UK and how we deal with illegal migration. There is something else, however, we should focus on.

None of this matters unless we address the reason why we’re back at this point. We have become a hundred different types of they. The Conservative Party has stopped seeing each other as friends and colleagues and more as blocks of votes or factions to be frustrated.

​Penny Mordaunt: The state of the Tory Party is unacceptable

07:06 PM

How 'boulder Boris' sent Tory leadership race into a frenzy

Boris Johnson, according to an ally supporting him in the Conservative leadership race, is a bit like a boulder.

It is not meant as a disparaging comment, but rather an insight into his extraordinary ability to fix people's attention - even when he is not overtly doing much at all.

"It’s the latency of the boulder on a precipice," said the ally. "It doesn’t move, but you’re looking at it. You’ve got to keep your eye on it all the time."

It is this "latent power" that enabled him to send Westminster into a frenzy about his intentions when Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister - even though he was thousands of miles away sunning himself in the Dominican Republic.

"Nobody else can sit on a beach looking at their toes, and cause the whole political world to run around," said the ally. "He doesn’t have to organise the theatre. The theatre happens around him."

Will Hazell and Edward Malnick have the inside story

06:55 PM

Most Tory voters think it was wrong to force Boris Johnson out

A majority of Tory voters now think the party made the wrong decision by forcing Boris Johnson out, a poll for The Telegraph has found.

People who backed the Conservatives at the 2019 election show signs of seller’s remorse in a boost to the former prime minister's comeback bid.

The survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies also shows that he is the best placed of the leadership hopefuls to take on Sir Keir Starmer and win.

It came as Mr Johnson stepped up his campaign to return to 10 Downing Street, with allies claiming he had secured the 100 nominations needed to enter the race.

​Nick Gutteridge has the full story

06:31 PM

Analysis: A big moment for Sunak

Rishi Sunak's camp will be jubilant tonight as he landed endorsement of Kemi Badenoch.

A darling of both the Tory grassroots and the Right-wing of the parliamentary party, she was impressive throughout the summer leadership contest.

Ms Badenoch invoked the spirit of Thatcherism in an article for the Times, writing: "Mrs Thatcher won the public’s trust and three elections in a row by making it about us, not about her. We need someone who can do the same. I believe that person is Rishi Sunak."

Several MPs will have been waiting to see who Ms Badenoch backed, and she did not back any of her leadership rivals after her own elimination in the summer - so this public show of support for Mr Sunak will give his team even more confidence.

He was already the favourite going into today, and despite the return of Boris Johnson to British soil - as he calls around MPs to sound them out about a sensational political comeback - it is the former chancellor who has all the momentum he needs.

06:15 PM

'We need patient, honest, competent, Conservative virtue'

Writing for the Times newspaper, Kemi Badneoch said she was backing Rishi Sunak over Boris Johnson in light of the fact there were "no simple solutions... this is no time for cakeism".

"Some of my colleagues yearn for a simple solution to the leadership question and hark back to what were, unbelievably, simpler times.

"They recall the Boris Johnson of 2019, rescuing a party behind in the polls, cutting through the Brexit impasse with swashbuckling aplomb and restoring the public's faith in the capacity of politicians to deliver.

"But three years on, with Brexit done, Jeremy Corbyn gone, inflation let loose and Covid having ravaged the economy, what we need is not nostalgia for the cavalier élan of 2019. We need patient, honest, competent, Conservative virtue."

06:14 PM

New: Kemi Badenoch backs Rishi Sunak

Kemi Badenoch backed Rishi Sunak to become the next Tory leader and prime minister tonight in a major boost to the former chancellor - and a fresh blow to Boris Johnson's prospects.

Ms Badenoch, the International Trade Secretary, told the Telegraph: "I'm a big fan of Boris and he got the party through a very difficult situation in 2019. We are now in a different political climate that requires a  different approach."

05:58 PM

Penny Mordaunt: Only I can repair damage to Tories

05:44 PM

Ben Bradley backing Boris Johnson

Ben Bradley, the MP for Mansfield, said he had spoken to Boris Johnson today about his potential return to No 10.

"To be honest, though clearly he made mistakes, I was never one of those who wanted him to go in the first place," Mr Bradley wrote on his Facebook page. "I've always felt that the potential of Boris is so huge and exciting. Nobody engages with the wider public in the way that he does."

He added Mr Johnson "needs to learn" from mistakes in the past year and "do some things better", but pointed to his record on Covid, Brexit and Ukraine.

"I've been asking my constituents for their views in recent days, and overwhelmingly the answer has been Boris... and I mean overwhelmingly in huge numbers. Not even close. I have signed his nomination papers for the leadership election next week."

05:38 PM

Breaking: David Davis backs Rishi Sunak

David Davis, a senior Tory MP and former Brexit minister, confirmed he is supporting Rishi Sunak this evening.

"This is no time for experiments and wild gambles," Mr Davis wrote in an article for MailPlus. "I do not believe the next leader should be Boris Johnson.

"The last few months of his premiership were a total mess and caused great damage to both the party and the country.

"Above all, Sunak has the technical skills and intellect to deliver the solutions to all those challenges, which would allow our great country to maintain its proper place in the world.

"What is also clear is that electing Rishi will stabilise the markets whereas Boris would destabilise them."

05:21 PM

'After Brexit, there is nobody Britain can blame for this mess but itself'

The closing lines of John of Gaunt's famous speech in Shakespeare's Richard II spring to mind; "That England, that was wont to conquer others, hath made a shameful conquest of itself". Where now for this once sceptered isle? asks Jeremy Warner.

As an economic strategy, Truss's mini-Budget was doomed from the start. Some elements of its "supply side" growth agenda seemed promising, but in the round it was always going to be torpedoed by the incontinence of its fiscal expansionism. This was neither the time nor the place for it.

Even so, with its smaller state, lower tax, deregulatory ambitions, it was at least some kind of an attempt to articulate what a post-Brexit economy might look like.

With its demise we are once again left floundering around wondering what was the point of Brexit in the first place.

Jeremy Warner: We've taken back control - but how do we use it?

05:04 PM

Sir Keir Starmer should be careful what he wishes for

At the time of writing I have absolutely no idea who is going to be leader of the Conservative party, writes Janet Daley, so let’s just skip to what everybody assumes will be the next stage and discuss what Labour will do when it is in government.

There are two quite different scenarios here. The first applies if a general election is called immediately which is what Sir Keir Starmer claims to want, but actually does not. At the moment, he is in Opposition Heaven and would like to stay there until the present government drags the country through - and out of - the depths of this crisis.

The second comes into play if the election is called in maybe six months time when the worst may be over, especially if, as many are now daring to predict, things never got as bad as expected. Global gas prices are already falling precipitately and Bank of England officials say interest rates may not go as high as was feared.

Janet Daley on why Labour's gleeful days may be numbered

04:55 PM

Small businesses struggle in Jeremy Hunt's quintessentially English constituency

Chiddingfold in Surrey is a quintessentially English village, with a population of just over 2,000 people who all seem to know each other, writes Tom Haynes.

Dotted around the village green, where a towering bonfire stands ready for next month, you will find cosy pubs, a traditional butchers, corner shops and tea rooms, mostly run by local families.

Its pubs have been frequented by some of Britain’s biggest celebrities and royalty (Queen Elizabeth I once bought a ton of wine from the Crown Inn).

In the Mulberry Inn, photos of past performances by Tom Jones, Gary ­Barlow and Paul McCartney line the walls. But even here, in the heart of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s constituency, the rising cost-of-living poses a threat.

Dispatch: Villagers struggle as energy costs rise

04:51 PM

'Be straightforward about who's supporting you'

Bim Afolami, the MP for Hitchin and Harpenden and a supporter of Rishi Sunak, said he was "raising my eyebrows" at the idea Boris Johnson had reached the milestone of 100 supporters.

"We've got to be transparent about who's supporting who," he told LBC. "I'm not talking about them, but I do know that we are very clear about who's supporting us, and that's what politics is about.

"Be honest, be straightforward, be transparent about who's supporting you. And that's what we've done, and I think they should do the same thing. I think if they've got 100 names they should [publish] them."

On Twitter, Sir Robert Syms, another Sunak supporter, wrote: "If Boris has 100 in the bag why is his Campaign putting out pics of him begging for votes ?"

04:38 PM

Only Rishi Sunak can save us, say Dowden and Jenrick

During the 2019 Tory leadership contest, Robert Jenrick joined forces with Oliver Dowden and Rishi Sunak to write an op-ed for the Times with the title: 'The Tories are in deep peril. Only Boris Johnson can save us.'

Just over three years on, Mr Jenrick has joined Mr Dowden in backing Mr Sunak - rather than Mr Johnson - for the highest office.

"As someone who helped elect Boris in 2019, served loyally in his cabinet, now is not the right time for a return. We need serious, competent leadership and the best person to deliver this is Rishi Sunak," Mr Jenrick said this afternoon.

"Boris defeated Jeremy Corbyn, got Brexit across the line, marshalled us through the pandemic and led Europe’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He will go down in history as a consequential leader who got the big calls right.

"However, we should not forget that 43 days ago the party removed Boris Johnson as serious issues engulfed his premiership. Some of these remain unresolved. Given the breath and scale of the international and domestic challenges facing the country there can be no more distractions."

04:22 PM

Boris Johnson 'the wrong choice' for 'many good reasons'

Trade minister Greg Hands confirmed his support for Rishi Sunak as he said backing Boris Johnson would be "retrograde".

"[Rishi] had the right policies in the summer, and he has the right policies now. He is the right person to get the U.K. through the tough economic times," he wrote on Twitter.

"What finally finished Boris on 7th July wasn't the 'parties' or even the Privileges Committee - it was that he wasn’t able to form a Government. People forget quickly. I don't. I was with Boris late on the evening of 6th July.

"He offered me Northern Ireland Secretary, a position not to be thrown around lightly, if I could just show the world he could indeed form a government. I think he would have offered me almost anything. I refused. I have no reason to have any more confidence today that he could put together an effective government.

"Some of my colleagues think he could win a 2024 general election. But if you can’t form a workable, effective and stable government, you’ll never get to 2023, let alone 2024. There are many other good reasons why Boris would be the wrong choice"

04:03 PM

Pictured: Boris Johnson hits the phones

03:50 PM

New: Another endorsement for Boris Johnson

Lee Anderson has said he will back Boris Johnson after speaking to the former prime minister.

"Boris Johnson just called me," the MP for the 'Red Wall' constituency of Ashfield wrote.

"We have had a long chat about everything past and present. My inbox is full of BBB (bring back Boris). I am drawing a line under it. Boris has my support."

After the demise of Mr Johnson's premiership over the Chris Pincher affair and the dozens of ministerial resignations that followed, Mr Anderson had written: "I cannot look myself in the mirror and accept this.... Integrity should always come first and sadly this has not been the case over the past few days."

03:34 PM

Doubts over Johnson campaign claims

There is naturally some scepticism around whether Boris Johnson actually has the 100 supporters to see him into next week's final stage of proceedings.

Paul Brand, the television presenter and radio host, sent out an appeal to Mr Johnson's supporters in which he cast doubt on the figures being touted.

"Are you one of the '100' Boris Johnson backers? Then please come on my LBC show," he wrote on Twitter.

"We've found it tricky to get one on today - would love to hear from you!"

03:15 PM

Shy Boris backers?

Rishi Sunak is on 109 public declarations of support from Conservative MPs, according to the Telegraph's tally.

Yet allies of Boris Johnson - who has 53 such declarations - are claiming he has also breached the 100 threshold.

Either this is another high-stakes gambit in what is turning into a political poker game, or a testament to "shy Boris backers" who are privately supportive of the former leader.

03:04 PM

Britain holds its breath waiting for Boris Johnson

Sir James Duddridge, a key ally of Boris Johnson, claimed last night that the former prime minister told him with characteristic zeal: "I'm going to do it, Dudders!"

More interesting is Sir James's claim today - that Mr Johnson has the support of 100 Tory MPs, which he would need to progress to the final round of the leadership contest.

As allies of Mr Johnson brief journalists that he could be on the ballot if he wanted to be, it is the "could" that is telling. Having been out of Downing Street for less than seven weeks, he may be pondering whether to return so soon into an incredibly volatile economic and political climate.

But assuming the numbers stack up, Boris Johnson is firmly in the running to become Britain's next prime minister. Still adored by much of the Tory membership, one suspects it could all be in his hands.

02:55 PM

Boris Johnson has more than 100 backers, claims key ally

Sir James Duddridge, Boris Johnson's former parliamentary private secretary, has claimed Mr Johnson "has more than 100 backers".

More as we have it.

02:52 PM

Brace for a Right-wing revolt

Make no mistake, the 44 days it took Liz Truss's premiership to die is the biggest setback for the Tory Right since the fall of Margaret Thatcher, writes Camilla Tominey, the Telegraph's Associate Editor.

She was elected by the membership on an unashamedly Thatcherite platform, only to be destroyed before she could even change the curtains. Since her resignation on Thursday, the Tory Wets have seized the narrative, attempting to censure the Right-wing policies she stood for.

To them, it doesn't matter that the primary cause of the PM’s downfall was a toxic combination of bad execution and even worse communication. Nor do they care about the Bank of England's role in this mess. The blame is entirely on the Right-wing nature of Truss's policies. But reality tells a different story.

These people, in their eagerness to appease the international markets' every whim, don’t seem to have noticed that there’s a much scarier gremlin lurking in the shadows: a complete revolt on the Right of the Conservative Party.

Camilla Tominey: Could Farage be another Cincinnatus?

02:30 PM

Johnson's 'unfinished business'

Boris Johnson is likely to put his name forward in the Conservative leadership contest as he believes he has "unfinished business", his father has said.

Stanley Johnson told GB News:

Asked if his son would put his name forward, Mr Johnson added: "I think he will put his name forward and I think he will beat Rishi Sunak in a head-to-head."

02:11 PM

Analysis: Johnson and Sunak play the waiting game

It is now less than 48 hours until the deadline for Tory MPs to nominate their pick to become the next party leader and prime minister.

But the two most viable contenders - Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson - are yet to even declare they will run, despite both receiving dozens of public endorsements from their colleagues since the downfall of Liz Truss.

Mr Johnson flew back from the Dominican Republic this morning with his family, while Mr Sunak has not said a word since Ms Truss, who beat him in the previous Tory leadership race, shocked the country with her resignation on Thursday.

There have been some suggestions Mr Sunak should appoint Mr Johnson to a senior Cabinet role, such as home secretary, while last night Sunak campaign insiders suggested to the Telegraph nothing was off the table.

Considering the former chancellor already has the numerical backing to face the membership for a second time this year, is the delay part of frantic horse-trading? Or were both candidates just caught short by the speed of Ms Truss's dramatic departure, not realising Downing Street would once again be within their sights quite so soon?

01:58 PM

Nadine Dorries: Johnson is 'the one person Labour fear the most'

01:39 PM

Sir Desmond Swayne backs Rishi Sunak

Sir Desmond Swayne has backed Rishi Sunak for prime minister over the prospective return of Boris Johnson.

Sir Desmond tweeted earlier this week: "I'm waiting for the moment in Dallas when Bobby Ewing walks out of the shower and says it's all just been a bad dream."

He was in more upbeat form today, as he posted a link to Mr Sunak's old campaign website to signal his support.

The veteran MP for New Forest West also endorsed Rishi Sunak back in July. Before that, however, he had wanted Suella Braverman, the now-former home secretary, as prime minister.

01:24 PM

Nadine Dorries suggests prime minister Sunak would be 'politically toxic'

Only Boris Johnson has a mandate to lead the Conservative party and the country, Nadine Dorries suggested this lunchtime.

The former culture secretary, who is one of Mr Johnson's most ardent supporters, retweeted a post by the Bruges Group which said: "Boris has an electoral mandate. Sunak doesn't.

"Changing PMs once without a General Election is politically acceptable. Changing twice is politically toxic. Unless, of course, you change back to the guy who won the last general election with an overwhelming majority."

01:18 PM

Have your say: Who should lead the Tories now?

01:14 PM

'We're facing an existential crisis'

The Conservative leadership contest has focused too much on "personalities rather than politics", the housing and planning minister has said.

Lee Rowley, the Tory MP for North East Derbyshire, wrote on Twitter: "We're 12 years in. We've made mistakes. We're facing an existential crisis.

"First, I want to know 'what' and 'how', not 'who'. So, candidates or possible candidates - what's the plan?"

12:58 PM

Boris Johnson's backers are risking the Union, warn Scottish Tories

Conservative MPs who are backing Boris Johnson to return as prime minister are risking the future of the Union, Scottish Tories have warned.

While Mr Johnson picked up new supporters on Friday, the prospect of him re-entering No 10 has horrified senior party figures north of the border, who believe it would push more Scots towards independence.

Adam Tomkins, who served as a Tory MSP before standing down at last year’s Holyrood election, told The Telegraph that a return of Mr Johnson would be an "absolute f------ disaster".

While he has committed to remaining neutral in the leadership contest, Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, has said people "know where I stand on Boris Johnson" after he called for him to quit as prime minister earlier this year.

Daniel Sanderson, our Scottish Correspondent, has the story

12:46 PM

Boris's bid to get the good times back

The response among MPs to talk of a Boris restoration has ranged from “he is risen!” to "I'd rather set myself on fire than serve under that man", which you can chalk up as a "maybe", writes Tim Stanley.

Memories are short in politics. Jonathan Gullis, whose eternal loyalty is a good bellwether of passing fashion, resigned from the BoJo administration citing concern about partygate.

Now he says "bring back Boris!" - and no doubt the big man was scanning the internet for last-minute flights.

Tory members know he's not Jesus. He might have spent 40 days in the desert, but if the Devil tried to tempt him, he'd give in on every occasion. Yet they voted for Truss, the suits kicked her out – so now they want the good times back with BoJo.

Tim Stanley: Why a Johnson comeback is no longer outlandish

12:27 PM

Boris Johnson's former chief of staff backs Rishi Sunak

A blow to Boris Johnson - and a boost to Rishi Sunak - in the past few minutes with the news Steve Barclay, Mr Johnson's former chief of staff, has endorsed Mr Sunak.

"Our country faces significant economic challenges and Rishi is best placed to address this," Mr Barclay said.

He was briefly health secretary under Mr Johnson during the summer, only to be dropped by Liz Truss as soon as she entered No 10.

12:25 PM

Voters prefer Mordaunt and Sunak to Johnson, poll suggests

Polling shows that voters prefer both Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak to Boris Johnson as the next prime minister, writes Tony Diver.

In a straight contest against either of the other candidates, Mr Johnson would lose if the general public was allowed to vote in the Conservative leadership election, the pollster Opinium said.

Research conducted on Thursday night found that when asked to choose between Mr Sunak or Mr Johnson, 44 per cent chose the former chancellor and 31 per cent his former boss.

Ms Mordaunt has taken the findings - which you can read more about here - as proof of her "values, integrity and competence":

12:10 PM

Rishi Sunak backers thrilled by Lord Frost's endorsement

Tory moderate supporters of Rishi Sunak - not always natural ideological bedfellows of the likes of Lord Frost ilk - are delighted by the peer's endorsement of their man a few moments ago.

Oliver Dowden, the former Tory party chairman, retweeted his post in barely any time at all.

And Julian Smith, the MP for Skipton and Ripon, quipped: "I finally agree with Lord Frost."

It is also notable Lord Frost had backed Liz Truss over Mr Sunak in the summer contest.

12:05 PM

Tories need Sunak and not Johnson, says Lord Frost

Lord Frost, the former Brexit negotiator, has endorsed Rishi Sunak in the past couple of minutes.

"Boris Johnson will always be a hero for delivering Brexit. But we must move on," he said.

"It is simply not right to risk repeating the chaos and confusion of the last year. The Tory Party must get behind a capable leader who can deliver a Conservative programme. That is Rishi Sunak."

11:58 AM

Pictured: Boris Johnson's return to Britain

11:47 AM

New: Graphic from Priti Patel backing Boris Johnson

11:41 AM

Tom Tugendhat's reverse ferret on Truss

Tom Tugendhat confirmed late last night he will be supporting Rishi Sunak's leadership campaign.

In the summer Mr Tugendhat ran for leader himself, promising a "fresh start", before backing Liz Truss. He is now the security minister, which was seen by some as a reward for his loyalty.

11:27 AM

Breaking: Rishi Sunak hits 100 public backers

Rishi Sunak has reached 100 public endorsements from Conservative MPs - the threshold required for a candidate to progress to the final stage of the ballot, Telegraph analysis shows.

Mr Sunak is yet to formally declare his candidacy, but is the favourite to succeed Liz Truss as prime minister next week.

• Conservative leadership contest: Who's backing whom?

11:13 AM

Aaron Bell backs Rishi Sunak

The MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme made headlines at the height of the partygate scandal as he emotionally recalled his grandmother's lockdown funeral, asking Boris Johnson: "Does the Prime Minister think I'm a fool?"

Mr Bell has now said Rishi Sunak is best placed to "rebuild trust with the British people".

"We have been talking to - and about - ourselves for too long," he said. "We must put the country first. Rishi's competence and experience make him best-placed to deliver that."

11:07 AM

The Cassandra of our times?

At the Cliveden Literary Festival last weekend, Michael Gove was asked whether he thought newspaper proprietor Lord Northcliffe would have been campaigning for Boris Johnson to make a comeback, writes Christopher Hope.

"He would have been campaigning for the maximum possible drama," the Gover replied.

"There is of course a box-set element in which characters who drop out of the drama come back for later runs." What did he know?

Read our full Peterborough diary column here

10:57 AM

Priti Patel backs Boris Johnson: Her statement in full

10:49 AM

Another significant backer for Johnson

Priti Patel did not endorse a candidate during the summer Conservative leadership contest, making her backing for Boris Johnson today all the more significant.

Ms Patel, who served as home secretary under Mr Johnson, said he had "the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right".

Her intervention is the latest in a series of significant endorsements including Alok Sharma, the Cop26 president, Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary.

Ms Patel's remarks could also serve as a bellwether ahead of a key meeting of the European Research Group (ERG) on Monday, where around 60 MPs on the Tory Right will meet to discuss the leadership contest and the prospect of a preferred candidate.

10:43 AM

Breaking: Priti Patel backs Boris Johnson

10:26 AM

Breaking: Boris Johnson arrives back in UK

More as we have it.

10:22 AM

Once, twice, three times in Stoke-on-Trent

Jo Gideon adds a local angle to her endorsement of Rishi Sunak's campaign:

10:14 AM

Rees-Mogg: Tory members must have their say on next leader

Conservative Party members should decide who is the next leader, rather than a stitch-up between MPs, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said.

The Business Secretary said that returning Boris Johnson to 10 Downing Street next week would calm the financial markets because it would mean that a general election would not need to be held until late 2024.

In an interview with this weekend's edition of Chopper's Politics podcast, Mr Rees-Mogg said he was against some sort of deal between Mr Johnson and his rivals, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, to stop party members having a say.

There is also a concern because of a change to the 1922 leadership rules that has given MPs an "indicative vote" on the final two before they are put to members, potentially denying the grassroots a say in the process.

Listen to this weekend's Chopper's Politics podcast

10:08 AM

Deja vu

One could be forgiven for thinking they had already seen the campaign video posted by Penny Mordaunt just now.

That is because she first posted it during her leadership run over the summer:

10:06 AM

'I’m going to do it, Dudders!'

Boris Johnson has been ringing Tory MPs from his holiday to shore up support for a leadership bid, as he was backed by influential Cabinet members including Ben Wallace.

The Defence Secretary ruled himself out of the contest and said he was “leaning towards” voting for the former prime minister.

Simon Clarke, the Levelling-Up Secretary, also came out for Mr Johnson, as did Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, climate change minister Alok Sharma and the Tory mayor of Teesside, Ben Houchen.

The latter was a particular coup because Mr Houchen had declared for Rishi Sunak - Mr Johnson's main rival - in the summer.

​Daniel Martin has the full story

09:55 AM

Don't 'jeopardise' our country's stability, Boris Johnson warned

Dame Maria Miller, one of Penny Mordaunt's supporters, warned Boris Johnson to think "very long and hard" about running for the party leadership.

Dame Maria pointed to the privileges committee investigation which will see Mr Johnson face scrutiny over 'partygate' as many as three times a week.

"He is still subject to a very serious privileges committee investigation which could ultimately lead him to resign as [Prime Minister]," she told the BBC this morning.

"I am sure he, who has put our country first in his life even when he was sick and in hospital during the pandemic would not want to jeopardise the stability of our country."

09:49 AM

Only Sunak can restore trust, Dominic Raab tells BBC

09:31 AM

Charles Moore: Boris should sit this one out

In the far-off days of late July, I interviewed Rishi Sunak, at that time a candidate for the Tory leadership, writes Charles Moore.

He told me: "I believe that you have to pay for the things that you spend money on. That’s a simple, basic, moral tenet of conservatism…I just don’t think it’s right to rack up bills on the country’s credit card. That now seems to be something no one wants to face up to."

I wrote in this paper that week that although Mr Sunak was decent, intelligent and competent, he seemed so keen to follow Treasury norms that he was not thinking hard enough about tax cuts and a growth strategy that offered voters hope. I reluctantly sided with the more optimistic Liz Truss.

I must admit that subsequent events proved Mr Sunak plumb right. And unfortunately, there is no evidence that, as prime minister, Boris ever took care for the public finances.

​Charles Moore: The country needs a steady, competent hand

09:22 AM

It's the economy, argues Raab

Dominic Raab argued the economy was the "critical issue" in the current Conservative leadership contest as he made the case for Rishi Sunak on this morning's broadcast round.

"Rishi had the right plan in the summer and I think it is the right plan now," Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast.

"I think he is the best placed candidate to provide some stability, to provide confidence for the millions of workers and businesses up and down the country.

"But I also think he is the right candidate to bring the party together with a government of all of the talents to just relentlessly deliver for the British people whether it is on the cost of living, crime, schools or NHS."

One criticism levelled at Liz Truss in the early days of her short-lived premiership was the lack of senior roles given to Tories from other wings of the party.

09:08 AM

Can we expect a 'royal flush'?

Rishi Sunak is expected to reject any offer by Boris Johnson to drop his leadership bid in return for a Cabinet job as two Tory big beasts mull over whether to strike a deal, writes Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor.

The former chancellor solidified his position as the strong front-runner as he soared ahead on MP nominations, followed by the former prime minister in second place.

The pair’s fractious relationship has dominated Tory politics this year, initially jointly working on economic policy before Mr Sunak dramatically quit, bringing down Mr Johnson 48 hours later.

However, the prospect of electoral wipeout – with one poll showing just one in seven voters support the Tories, its worst-ever poll result – has placed a premium on party unity.

Analysis: The masterstroke that could surprise us all

09:02 AM

Penny Mordaunt: We can win the next election

Penny Mordaunt has said the Conservatives can win the next election under her leadership.

Ms Mordaunt pledged on Twitter this morning to be a "fresh voice and unite the party" after becoming the first candidate to formally declare her leadership run yesterday.

"We need to restore trust in the Conservatives," the leader of the Commons said.

"I'm running to be the Conservative Party and your next prime minister - to unite our country, deliver our pledges, and win the next election."

08:51 AM

'Calm and competent Rishi Sunak can save the Conservative Party'

As the chairman of the Treasury select committee, I am supporting Rishi Sunak to be the next prime minister and Conservative Party leader, Mel Stride writes for the Telegraph today.

Mel Stride: Sunak will save the economy and unite our party

08:48 AM

Finish the job, Boris Johnson urged in new Cabinet endorsement

Boris Johnson was last night encouraged to "finish the job" and deliver on the 2019 Tory manifesto in another significant endorsement from a sitting Cabinet member.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has joined Alok Sharma, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke in backing Mr Johnson to return to No 10. Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, added he "leans towards" the idea.

Mr Heaton-Harris said there was "no politician more" to take on "whatever challenge" emerged while in office, writing in the Mail:  "'I would be the first to admit that my party has been through a turbulent time recently, but if he gets the call, I know Boris will finish the job he started and deliver on the promises he made to you in 2019."

"At a time of economic and international uncertainty, we need a leader with a track record of delivering for the British people. A leader who has the mandate of not only the Conservative Party membership, but also the country."

08:39 AM

Chris Bryant: The public wants an election

The public wants a general election in order to "press the reset button", Chris Bryant has said.

Mr Bryant, who was initially part of the privileges committee investigating Boris Johnson over partygate before recusing himself, described the former prime minister as "disgraced".

"I don't fancy any of the three of them," he told the PA news agency this morning. "I think we've got to a stage now where the people of this country think the only way you can press the reset button is to have a general election.

"Rishi Sunak backs Boris Johnson all the way up until the very last moment, despite all the lies and of course was himself involved in 'partygate' and Boris Johnson is a disgraced prime minister. The biggest problem for Boris if he does get elected as leader, apart from I suspect that quite a few Conservative MPs will either cross the floor or abandon support for him."

08:31 AM

Johnson's return 'worst example' of party before country

Boris Johnson returning to Downing Street would be the "worst example" of the Conservatives putting themselves before the country, a party grandee suggested this morning.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, a former foreign secretary, claimed Mr Johnson's return would be "utterly indefensible" if it took place because he was more likely to win the next election.

Sir Malcolm, who is supporting Rishi Sunak, told Times Radio: "I've never heard a worst example of putting the party's perceived interest, because it might not even be true, but putting the party's political interests before the public interest.

"Given that the vast majority of the public, including many Conservatives, are struggling with a cost-of-living increases that we're all seeing and the problems of the economy, the prime minister must be somebody who's economically coherent, who understands the economy, who has shown that he does understand it, and that he will be able to work closely with the chancellor in restoring our economic strength."

08:27 AM

Good morning

Dominic Penna here, the Telegraph's Political Reporter, guiding you through what is set to be another dramatic day in the fast-moving Conservative leadership contest.

Rishi Sunak is on course to hit 100 public endorsements in the coming hours - taking him past the threshold to make it to a poll of Tory members next week - as Boris Johnson reportedly told friends he was "up for" another stint in Downing Street.

I will be bringing you all of the latest news, analysis and nominations.