James Cleverly is the first to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party | James Cleverly

James Cleverly has become the first candidate to run for the Conservative Party leadership.

The shadow home secretary has said he is “best placed” to unite the Tories and reverse Keir Starmer’s “loveless landslide” to return to government.

In an attack on his far-right Conservative Party colleagues, Cleverly warned against “sacrificing pragmatic government in the national interest on the altar of ideological purity”.

Writing for the Daily Telegraph, he said the party needed to have “broad appeal” to win over reformist voters concerned about immigration, Liberal Democrat voters concerned about rural areas and Labour voters who want to see economic growth and better public services.

The former Home Secretary said that to win back his party “it must not descend into the infighting, navel-gazing and Westminster jockeying that has plagued us in government” but “raise our standards” and “reconnect with our members and our voters”.

Cleverly is the first to formally declare his ambition to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader. Other candidates reportedly considering a run include Tom Tugendhat, the shadow security minister; Kemi Badenoch, the shadow communities secretary; former home secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman; and Robert Jenrick, the former immigration secretary.

The party unveiled its leadership race schedule on Monday, with nominations closing next week. Conservative MPs will shortlist four candidates in September, who will take to the stage at the party convention in October and present their case to grassroots members.

After that, the deputies will reduce the list to two candidates who will be submitted to the vote of the members.

In his article, Cleverly said the Conservatives were “the most effective and successful political organisation on the planet” but had lost the trust of voters in the last election after descending into “selfish infighting”.

He said his party had to “get back to winning ways” and that his ambition was to become prime minister.

He wisely highlighted his experience as foreign secretary and home secretary under Liz Truss and Sunak, and party chairman under Boris Johnson. He called for a commitment to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP, cut taxes and protect the green belt.

“We need to regain confidence that our core values ​​are shared by the British public and that they represent a package of unity, security and prosperity,” he said. “That should be our unique selling point in the face of a colossal Labour Party, ravaged by ideological incoherence and factional divisions.”