The seven Tory women battling it out to succeed Rishi Sunak

Seven brides for a lonely party? Sean O’Grady unveils the most likely leadership contenders – and the outliers who are determined to rock the boat...

The contestants already out on manoeuvres are (L-R): Kemi Badenoch, Liz Truss, Suella Braverman, Clare Coutinho, Gillian Keegan (inset), Priti Patel, Penny Mordaunt (AFP/Getty, PA, Reuters)

The incredible and fascinating thing about the next leader of the Conservative Party is that it’s not just almost certain to be a woman (they’ve had three of those already, of course) but that there’s also a fair chance of it being a woman of colour – another first for them, and indeed for British politics. It is historic and good for Britain, at least in that respect.

In rough order of probability, the contestants already out on manoeuvres are: Kemi Badenoch; Penny Mordaunt; Suella Braverman; Priti Patel; Clare Coutinho, Gillian Keegan and, unbelievable as it may be, Liz Truss. Seven brides for a lonely party, you might say. They would make an interesting contrast to prime minister Keir Starmer, male and stale. Could it happen? Assuredly.

Because they made quite successful runs for the leadership last year, the ambitions of Mordaunt and Badenoch are well-known, and could be counted automatic entrants. Indeed, were it not for a considerable exercise of self-restraint and concern for the damage a protracted campaign would inflict on the the health of the party and the country, Mordaunt would almost certainly be PM now.