Conservative MPs are in "no rush" to appoint a new leader, a former minister said on Monday.
Kevin Hollinrake insisted that the party should run a "much slower process" than it has done in the past and may not have someone in place until the "end of the year".
Rishi Sunak has pledged to stay on as Tory leader until arrangements are in place for selecting his successor after his party's worst election defeat in its parliamentary history.
Mr Hollinrake told ITV: "I personally think we should take longer than [two months] to get the right person in place.
"We need to take a few months to decide exactly what went wrong and then decide the right person to take us forward and to present a viable challenge to the Labour Party which I think we can do."
He added: "So if we can regroup, unite, get a good leader, present the alternative, I think we'll be in good shape to present a viable case for a Conservative government in 2029. That's what we're setting out to do so I don't think there's any rush to get the right person in place to do that."
None of the party's 121 surviving MPs have yet confirmed whether they plan to run, however at least five were believed to be mulling a bid to lead the party.
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel, ex-Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, ex-Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, ex-Health Secretary Victoria Atkins and ex-Home Office minister Robert Jenrick are believed to be leadership contenders.
Suella Braverman is also thought to want to run. Some MPs are understood to want former leader Iain Duncan Smith installed at the helm of the party as a "caretaker" leader.
Two-time former leadership hopeful and former chancellor Jeremy Hunt has reportedly ruled himself of the job.
