FORMER Home Secretary James Cleverly is expected to announce he is running to be Tory leader later this week.
Kevin Hollinrake – a little-known Tory MP who campaigned on the Post Office Horizon scandal – is also expected to enter the fray.
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Conservative Party bosses will fire the starting gun on the race to replace Rishi Sunak this week.
In total, some eight Tory MPs are poised to enter the scramble- with the winner set to be crowned towards the end of the year.
There are just 121 Conservative MPs left after the election bloodbath.
Allies of Mr Cleverly said he is “expected to run” after politicians and donors “encouraged him”.
They added: “His pitch will be as the unity candidate who has the experience in two great offices of state and knows the Conservative Party from his time as Chairman in 2019.”
A pledge to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence will be central to his campaign.
In a shock move, Mr Hollinrake is also expected to announce he is running.
He has never served in the Cabinet and was only made a minister in October 2022 under the Sunak regime.
Currently shadow business secretary, he has campaigned for justice for the victims of the Post Office scandal.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride will also run.
Others also expected to run are Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Priti Patel and Robert Jenrick.
Victoria Atkins is another name in the frame.
One Tory shadow cabinet minister said: “They are all on manoeuvres. I am suddenly getting lots of invites for a coffee and a chat.”