Resist ‘idiotic’ move to the right in leadership race, top Tories urge

Senior figures tell the party not to rush into choosing a new leader, citing 2005 and David Cameron as a successful precedent

Damian Green: seven lessons for the Tories if we want to regain power

Senior Tories are pleading with the party to avoid the weapons-grade idiocy" of a further drift to the right, amid a concerted and organised effort from grandees to stop a kneejerk leadership contest.

Figures from Rishi Sunak's cabinet, prominent MPs who lost their seats and former prime minister David Cameron are among those involved in working to secure a repeat of the 2005 contest, which eventually saw Cameron installed as leader seven months after an election defeat.