Hucknall MP Mark Spencer again backing Rishi Sunak to be the new Prime Minister

Mr Spencer backed the former Chancellor in the last leadership contest where he ultimately lost out to Liz Truss.

But, following her resignation last week, Mr Sunak has again emerged as the front runner to take over the leadership of the party and country.

His nearest challenger is Penny Mordaunt – who took Mr Spencer’s old cabinet role as Leader of the House of Commons – while former Primer Minister Boris Johnson, who Mr Spencer was a big supporter of, has confirmed he is out of the running for a shock return to the top job.

Mr Spencer said: “I can confirm that I will be supporting Rishi Sunak to be the next leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.

“Over the course of this past summer, I was firmly of the belief that Rishi was, and is, the leader that can unite our party, bring the whole country together and win us that fifth general election victory and my opinion has not faltered.

“In serious times like these, we need a person to step up to the plate who has a proven track record of being in the room when the tough decisions have been made, and I am in no doubt that Rishi is that person.

“He is a man of good character and great integrity, and I have seen first-hand during my time served with him in the cabinet that he has the ability to steer us through the unprecedented global challenges we now face.

I am, still, #ReadyforRishi.”

But Labour MPs have again repeated their calls for general electiom.

Bulwell MP Alex Norris (Lab), tweeted: “The Tories have run out of ideas and we can't afford more chaos under yet another Tory-appointed Prime Minister.

"The country needs stability and certainty – we need a general election now.

“Only the leadership of a Keir Starmer-led Labour Government will fix the mess made by Tory MPs.”

Constitutionally, however, the ruling Tories are under no obligation to call a general election for another two years if the incoming leader can prove they can command a majority in the House of Commons and can form a Government.