Close allies of Rishi Sunak have told The Independent that the former chancellor will run in the race to succeed Liz Truss as prime minister.
There has so far been no official announcement from Sunak on his intentions.
But two prominent members of the unsuccessful campaign to make him leader this summer said that they understood he was preparing a fresh bid, and was ready to take on other contenders.
Mr Sunak came first in the MPs’ rounds of voting in the race to succeed Boris Johnson, and is bookies’ favourite as frontrunner for the succession to Liz Truss.
One close ally said: “I hope there is only one candidate but if there is more than one then there will be a contest and I believe Rishi will win it.”
The comment suggests that Mr Sunak is not ready to take the running-mate post in a “dream ticket” with leadership rival Penny Mordaunt, with a view to being chancellor to her prime minister.
One Sunak backer confirmed that discussions were under way on the possibility of an agreement that the second-placed candidate in the MPs’ rounds of voting would pull out in order to prevent the contest going to the membership for a final decision.
