Tories make leadership pitches as Parliament returns

Outside Parliament, shadow communities secretary Ms Badenoch will give a speech arguing the Conservatives “can’t just sit around pointing out how terrible Labour are” and have “the same policy arguments from the last Parliament”.

Instead she will call on her party to focus on “renewal”.

Meanwhile, Mr Cleverly will call for the party to “think and act like Conservatives again”, with a smaller role for the state and a focus on doing “fewer things very well, not everything badly”.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, external, the shadow home secretary also said he wants to abolish stamp duty on all homes, saying it is stopping too many people getting on the housing ladder.

The tax is currently paid on purchases of homes for more than £250,000, or £425,000 for a first-time buyer.

On Tuesday, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat will also launch his campaign, with other leadership rivals Dame Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick and Mel Stride making speeches and pitches in the media in recent days.

They are currently aiming to secure the backing of fellow Tory MPs, who will whittle the field down to four candidates in a series of votes by the time of the party’s annual conference at the end of September.

Party members will then choose from a final two, with the result announced on 2 November.