Tom Tugendhat has secured the backing of prominent Conservative centrist Damian Green and Brexiteer Steve Baker as he prepares to run for the party leadership.

In a joint statement, Green and Baker emphasised that Tugendhat, a former security minister, is the right candidate to rejuvenate the Conservative Party. Writing in The Telegraph, they cautioned MPs against shifting towards the supposed “hard Right” following the landslide election defeat, arguing that such a move would further alienate voters.

Their endorsement is a significant boost for Tugendhat, heightening expectations of his imminent leadership bid. Both Green and Baker, despite losing their seats in the recent election, remain influential figures within the party.

This support from a centrist and a Brexiteer underscores a unified call for moderation and a strategic approach to reclaiming voter trust and rebuilding the party’s fortunes.