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The Conservative Party has introduced a system of “yellow card” sanctions to prevent leadership candidates from attacking each other in the media.
Six candidates have cleared all hurdles to enter the three-month race to replace Rishi Sunak, including securing the support of 10 MPs and raising £200,000 for the party.
Bob Blackman, who as chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee will oversee the race, said he would give a yellow card and a public reprimand to any candidate who attacked a rival.
“The constant backbiting and attacks on colleagues” by Conservative MPs during the last parliament was one of the main reasons why “the party did so poorly in the general election”, Mr Blackman said.
At a news conference, Mr. Blackman said that “if candidates engage” in personal attacks, “I will obviously step in to warn them and, if necessary, issue a public statement.”
“If a yellow card is issued and a statement is made to the public and to members that a candidate has broken the rules, it will be extremely damaging to their chances of being elected,” he said.
He added that he hoped he would not have to do so and that the threat of a card would be enough.
A new sanctions regime will also extend to Conservative Party MPs and members, Mr Blackman said.
The party leader will reprimand MPs who engage in personal attacks during the campaign and the party president will intervene when former MPs are involved.
The six candidates in the running are Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who was initially seen by many as a frontrunner in the race, withdrew from the race after several of her key allies joined Mr Jenrick’s campaign.
In an article in the Telegraph, she said there was “no point” in her running for party leader, despite securing the necessary nominations, “when most of the [party’s] The deputies do not agree with her.
Mr Sunak will remain Conservative leader until his successor is announced.
The six candidates now have the summer recess to make their case to fellow MPs and Conservative Party members.
MPs will then begin voting to narrow the field with a series of votes starting on September 4, until there are only four left.
The final four will have the opportunity to address Conservative members directly at the party conference, which runs from September 29 to October 2.
Two more rounds of voting will be held by MPs the following week until only two candidates remain, with party members then choosing the winner.
Online voting will close on October 31 and the result will be announced two days later, on November 2.
