Tory leadership contest: James Brokenshire urges no-hope candidates to pull out of race
The Conservative Party is at a "dangerous moment" if it spends weeks "navel-gazing" and not delivering Brexit, a minister warns.
Monday 3 June 2019 11:17, UK
No-hope Tory leadership candidates have been urged to pull out of the crowded race to replace Theresa May by a senior minister.
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said the party could not risk weeks of "navel-gazing" as the clock ticks down towards Brexit on 31 October.
With more candidates set to declare in the coming days, he told colleagues to "think carefully" about the race dubbed the Grand National of political contests.
"If you already know it's going to be a bit of a struggle to get over the first fence let alone Becher's Brook ahead, then maybe you should pull up," he cautioned in a speech at the Policy Exchange on Monday.
"There is no embarrassment in that.
"It doesn't reflect on your talent or ability to influence the direction of our party now and in the future.
"It's just the overriding need to get our new leader in place as quickly as possible."
Mr Brokenshire said the Conservatives need to "get on" with electing a new leader because the party faces a "dangerous moment".
"We need to deliver Brexit - full stop. No equivocation. No ifs, no buts," he warned.
Cabinet ministers who have launched their leadership pitch include Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart and Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
Other hopefuls include Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey, Kit Malthouse, James Cleverly, Mark Harper and Sam Gyimah.
The 1922 Committee - the group of Tory MPs who decide the contest's rules - are meeting later this week.
They will decide when each round of voting will take place and the system used to elect the new prime minister.
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Mrs May will formally step down as Conservative leader on 7 June, after hosting US President Donald Trump on his state visit and following the outcome of the Peterborough by-election.