Tories warned they must focus on own renewal not Labour as leadership contest heats up

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The Tories are set to enter a crucial phase of their leadership contest with a warning that they will need to do a lot more than just criticise Labour “even if it is fun”.

At one of two leadership bids officially launched today [Monday], Kemi Badenoch will claim that the party needs to focus on its own renewal after the worst defeat in its history.

Meanwhile, rival James Cleverly will launch his own bid officially with an apparent nod to the right of his party suggesting that Tories “need to be Conservative again”.

Former security minister Tom Tugendhat will launch his bid tomorrow while former home secretary Priti Patel promised to democratise the party when she launched her campaign on Friday.

A similar pledge was made by Robert Jenrick, now seen as the champion of the party’s right, at his second launch in Westminster yesterday after one in his Newark constituency at the beginning of the summer.

He also made a pitch to renew the party saying he wanted to create “a new Conservatvie Party” out of the wreckage of the record defeat it suffered in July.

The sixth candidate, former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, is now the strong favourite to be eliminated in the first vote by MPs on Wednesday. One more candidate will be lost next week with the final four entering “a beauty contest” at the party conference in October.

MPs will then reduce the number to two for party members to choose from.

In her campaign speech today, Ms Badenoch will lash out at Labour and call for change in the Conservative Party as she launches her Tory leadership campaign in Westminster.

The shadow communities secretary, the bookmakers' favourite to replace Rishi Sunak, will say her party has to "focus on renewal" to be ready to return to power.

She will say the Conservatives "can't just sit around pointing out how terrible Labour are" and must not "keep having the same policy arguments from the last parliament".

Mrs Badenoch is expected to say: "The British people are yearning for something better and this Labour government is not it.

"They have no ideas. At best they are re-announcing things we have already done.

"At their worst they are clueless, irresponsible and dishonest: trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the British public about the state of the UK finances, placing political donors into civil service jobs and pretending they had no plans to cut pensioner benefits before the election - and now doing so to cover the cost of pay rises for the unions with no promise of reform."

She will add: "If the Conservatives want to become worthy of the British people's trust again, we can't just sit around pointing out how terrible Labour are ... fun as it is.

"We can't just keep having the same policy arguments from the last parliament. We lost. We are not in power.

"Labour will fail; and when that time comes, and the British people are looking for change, we have to be that change.

"We have to focus on renewal. The renewal of our party, our politics and our thinking."

Mr Cleverly will use his own speech to say "we must think and act like Conservatives again", arguing for a smaller state.

Mr Cleverly will say the Tories "must get our act together" to present solutions to "an unstable world, global migration and a crisis of confidence in capitalism".

He will say: "That means being honest and realistic about the role of the state. About what it should and can do, and what it should not and cannot. The state should focus on doing fewer things very well, not everything badly.

"We accept that the state has a primary duty to protect its people and its borders. But Conservatives must be honest about the trade-offs in doing these things properly."

He will argue for a "family-first society" rather than looking to the state as the first port of call when a problem arises.

"We must think and act like Conservatives again. Demonstrate that we understand the challenges our people and our country face, and provide the solutions to deliver a brighter future for our country.

"We accomplished much in Government, but our division and behaviour obscured the victories and compounded the mistakes.

"I will tackle the problems in front of us with Conservative solutions and make the UK the greatest power in Europe. Strong in defence of our people, our allies and our values on the international stage. With security and prosperity at home."

The field of six candidates - which also includes Mel Stride - will be whittled down to four by the time of the Conservative conference at the end of the month.

After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for the Conservative members to choose between, with the result announced on November 2.