Former government minister Mel Stride has said there is a “reasonable chance” he will run to become Conservative Party leader.

The shadow work and pensions secretary said he was considering putting himself forward to replace Rishi Sunak as it was “important for the country that we have a strong Conservative Party”.

He told Sky News’ Breakfast with Kay Burley: “We’ll have to see, I haven’t made any decision.

“We don’t know what the process is.

“Colleagues have been talking to me about it, I am considering what I may or may not do.”

He added there is a “reasonable chance” he could run and will make a decision “relatively soon”.

Mr Stride said if he is a candidate he will not be engaging in “blue on blue” fights to gain support.

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The shadow minister added the Conservative Party does need to “appeal” to voters it lost to Reform UK – something another potential candidate, former home secretary Suella Braverman, has said needs to happen.

“As we need to appeal to those we lost to both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats,” he said.

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