Tory leadership race – live: Braverman bid ‘dead before it starts’ as party could take months to replace Sunak

Scottish Tory justice spokesperson Russell Findlay has signalled that he is considering a run at the party leadership north of the border.

Mr Findlay, a former journalist who prior to entering Holyrood was attacked with acid while investigating organised crime in Glasgow, said: “Tories across the UK have taken a beating – although our success in Scotland in holding constituencies shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Everyone should take time to reflect on the message we have been sent.

“Scotland needs to play a big part in rebuilding an election-winning conservative movement and, along with many others, I’ll be taking careful consideration of the new circumstances we are in and of how I can best contribute to that task.”

Robert Jenrick appears to agree with Nigel Farage that immigration was at the heart of the Tory defeat – pointing to a surge in support for Reform in most constituencies the Conservatives lost.

The former immigration minister – and likely Tory leadership hopeful – told the BBC on Sunday: “We didn’t have the willingness to take the tough decisions that were necessary to deliver for the British public; when we said, for example, on immigration that we would do whatever it takes, we didn’t do whatever it takes.”

The Scottish Conservatives could face “political extinction” if they do not have a wide debate on the future leadership of the party, a Tory MSP has warned.

Jamie Greene said there should be no “swift return to business as usual” after his party slumped to its lowest-ever vote share at a general election, returning five MPs north of the border – with current leader Douglas Ross due to stand down after losing his Westminster bid.

However, the contest to replace him will not begin until at least next week as the party’s management board will meet at the weekend to decide on the timeline.

Writing in The Times, Mr Greene said: “Is the Scottish Conservative party leadership hoping for a conveniently short contest, with high barriers to entry, to appoint its preferred candidate?

“Or is it willing to have a real and meaningful conversation about what sort of party they want any new leader to lead? I suspect some grandees prefer the former; a swift return to business as usual. I, however, and many others, believe the latter is a necessity.

“I’ll say this frankly: the party must do this properly to ensure the widest possible debate, lest we risk political extinction.”

New chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said the government will still expect to be challenged in the Commons despite the Tories’ heavy electoral defeat.

He told the BBC: “Of course the Conservatives suffered a historic loss, but that doesn’t mean there’s no opposition in the House of Commons and, of course, we have the House of Lords to get any legislation through as well.

“And the key thing that you’ll see from this Labour government is that we’re going to return both to the service of the British people, but also to the norms. The adults are back in the room.”

Conservative former minister Kevin Hollinrake has insisted the Tories can win the 2029 general election if they “get the right leader” – and suggested the contest could kick off in earnest in September.

He told Times Radio: “I would argue we lost it rather than they won it, because look at the percentage share of the vote, no government has ever formed a majority with less than 34% of the vote, it’s quite incredible that’s the case.

“Hats off to them, the winner takes it all, they’ve got the spoils of victory, we need to hold to account for all those things.”

On the timescale for electing a new party leader Mr Hollinrake said: “It should be a few months of a job so we start on that process probably in September and then we elect our leader by the end of the year that’s the kind of timescale I would like.”

He added: “We lost heavily, but as I say not to a popular Labour government. That’s an opportunity for us. If we get the right leader, we regroup, we unite behind that leader, we can win in 2029. That’s got to be our job.”

The Conservative Party is the oldest and most successful political party in the world. It was in many ways the first modern political party and its history dates back at least 346 years to the foundation of the Tories, and arguably even longer to the Cavaliers who supported King Charles I in the Civil War.

But the party is facing its biggest crisis yet, with its very existence now in question. The rise of Nigel Farage and Reform UK party on the right is the first time a serious alternative in that political space has been presented to British voters.

While some wonder how a party with just five MPs can threaten such a long-established political institution, former home secretary Suella Braverman has warned that the Tory party does not have a right to exist. Her comments are a fair reflection of a turbulent time in politics, both here and overseas.

In an interview with The Independent, Mr Farage made it clear that replacement of the Tories is his plan, rather than seeking to take them over, and Ms Braverman knows this could happen.

Our political editor David Maddox has more:

Rishi Sunak has said he will quit as Tory leader once arrangements are in place to choose his successor, triggering a potentially acrimonious contest to replace him.

Here are the key contenders to watch:

In an indication of how long the contest could drag on, former business secretary Kevin Hollinrake said on Monday a leadership race could last until the end of the year, adding that “I don’t think there is any rush”.

He told the BBC: “In the next few months we need to reflect very carefully on [our loss], I think it will be some time before the end of the year before we put a new leader in place, I don’t think there is any rush.

“I think we need a proper discussion and debate about how the new leader can move towards low migration, lower taxation and tackling some of the political and cultural ideology we are seeing in our society.

“I think if we do all those things, we can present that very cogent challenge to Labour in 2029.”

Suella Braverman’s Tory leadership hopes have suffered an early blow as a key backer reportedly prepares to back Robert Jenrick instead.

Although no-one has formally launched a campaign to replace Rishi Sunak, Ms Braverman is expected to be a front runner. However, the former home secretary’s expected campaign has been described as “dead before it has even started” as right-wing MP Danny Kruger is said to support Mr Jenrick instead.

A source told The Times the party’s right wing want “someone with the “policies of Nigel Farage [but] with the presentational skills of David Cameron”. Another said her campaign was “dead before it even started”, accusing Ms Braverman of “going too hard, too soon”.

She had sparked anger on the eve of the general election penning an opinion piece declaring the race over, and urging the Tories to prepare for opposition.

A senior Tory responded to the article by telling The Independent it was a “last throw of the dice” for Ms Braverman, seeking to burnish her diminishing leadership credentials.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports: