Nadine Dorries is reportedly considering entering the race to become the next leader of the Tory party.
The culture secretary is a known die-hard Boris Johnson loyalist and thinks she can be a “continuation” candidate that will carry the prime minister’s policies and ideas forward after he leaves the post later this year.
A source close to Ms Dorries told Mail+: “Nadine is seriously considering throwing her hat in the ring, as she is passionate about Boris’s levelling up agenda, defending Brexit and fighting woke culture. She wants to keep Boris’s flame alive.”
It comes as the former chancellor Rishi Sunak - who quit on Tuesday prompting the wave of resignations against Mr Johnson - launched his leadership bid.
In a video posted on social media, Mr Sunak promised to “restore trust” after the prime minister’s scandal-ridden tenure and also hinted he would end the culture wars which were so keenly stoked by Mr Johnson.
He is the third candidate to declare his intention to run, alongside Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, and attorney general Suella Braverman.
Liz Truss, Ben Wallace and Jeremy Hunt are expected to launch their own bids imminently, alongside further rumoured entrants such as transport minister Grant Shapps.
A number of surprising names have also emerged among Tory backbenchers who could also consider a crack at the leadership.
Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti and Basildon and Billericay MP John Baron, both relatively inexperienced, are also understood to be mulling over putting their names in the hat.
The ever-lengthening list of MPs considering a leadership bid is making Tory party chiefs jittery as they fear a prolonged contest and ever-increasing ‘Blue on Blue’ attacks.
Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and ex-cabinet minister Michael Gove, who was sacked earlier this week, have ruled themselves out of the contest, The Independent understands.
The first phase of the leadership contest begins with a series of secret ballots by MPs. This list is then whittled down to a final two and is expected to be concluded by July 21 when the Commons breaks for the summer.
It will then go to a final postal ballot of party members in the country. It is thought likely that it will be concluded by the time Parliament returns in early September.
