Kit Malthouse withdraws from race to be Tory leader as MPs set to change rules

Conservative MP Kit Malthouse has become the second candidate to lead the Tory party – as officials debate how to cull the crowded field.

The backbench MP – who briefly shot to low level prominence inside Westminster for lending his name to a short lived Brexit plan – follows James Cleverly in withdrawing from the race.

Mr Malthouse announced his decision in a tweet.

He said: “I have decided to withdraw from the contest for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

“Thank you to all those who have supported me.”

In a statement he said: “After 20 years in frontline politics as a councillor, deputy mayor, MP and minister, I also wanted to lead a new generation of Conservatives stepping forward at a time of profound change in our country.

“But that experience has also made me a realist and the last few days have demonstrated that there is an appetite for this contest to be over quickly and for the nation to have a new leader in place as soon as possible.

“As such, it seems right to me that I withdraw my candidature and wish those remaining the very best, always recognising there are going to be very challenging times ahead.”

It takes the number of contenders to be Tory leader down to 11.

Mr Cleverly and Mr Malthouse’s withdrawals come as the party today looked set to change the rules to force no-hoper candidates out the contest.

In a statement, he said: “To do this I asked them to make a leap of faith, skip a generation and vote for a relatively new MP.

“It is clear that despite much support, particularly from our party’s grass roots, MPs weren’t comfortable with such a move.”

Yesterday senior figures in the party branded the then 13-candidate race a “shambles”.

Veteran Tory Ken Clarke said the Conservative Party is “tearing itself apart” and joined mounting calls for the field to narrow itself.

The executive of the backbench 1922 Committee met on Tuesday to decide the rules for the leadership contest to deal with the crowded field.

Changes are expected to include making candidates secure more nominations to enter the race.

They will also have to clear a higher hurdle to stay in the contest once MPs begin the process of voting, to speed up the process of whittling the contenders down to the final two.

The winner – and the next prime minister – will be decided by Tory members.