Tory MPs who take part in blue-on-blue “backbiting” during the party’s leadership contest will be issued “yellow cards” under new behaviour policies.
Bob Blackman, chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee, said there would be a system of strict discipline in place after previous contests descended into name calling and vicious briefings.
He announced that six MPs had put themselves forward to replace Rishi Sunak. They are: Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly.
Harrow East MP Mr Blackman said the party was “determined” it would be a “good, clean contest” as he announced any Tory members or politicians who briefed against candidates would be issued a “yellow card”.
“The constant backbiting and attacking colleagues both in public and in the media in the last Parliament was one of the reasons why the party did so badly in the general election,” he told journalists gathered on College Green in Westminster.
“We are determined we will not tolerate that happening so if candidates indulge in it then I will get involved, obviously to warn them and, if necessary issue a public statement to the fact they’ve been involved in such activity.
“If MPs get involved in such backbiting then the chief whip will intervene, if ex MPs get involved then the party chairman will get involved in making sure suitable action is taken. Basically we just want to stop people from that constant backbiting.”
Contenders needed the backing of at least 10 Conservative MPs to run as leader before nominations closed at 2.30pm on Monday.
Ex business secretary Ms Badenoch is the bookmakers favourite.
She threw her hat in the ring by blaming an “incoherent” set of policies for the party suffering dire general election results.
Writing in The Times, she accused successive Conservative prime ministers of allowing Britain to become “increasingly liberal” and tolerating “nasty identity politics”.
The parliamentary party will narrow the list down to four candidates, who will make their case to members at the party’s conference in Birmingham in the autumn.
Two final two candidates will then be subject to a vote by Conservative members and the winner announced on November 2.
