Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch has publicly declared her backing for Matt Hancock in the Conservative leadership race.

She follows Damian Green, the Ashford MP, in endorsing the secretary of state for health as the next leader and Prime Minister.

The number of people now standing for the role has reached 13 and with the possibility of more to come, party chiefs are concerned there are too many candidates.

In an article on the Conservative Home website, Ms Crouch takes a sideswipe at those who are making Brexit the most important issue, saying: “Brexit is not the only issue at stake in this leadership contest.

"We need a leader for the next decade, not just the three months between the winner being announced and the end of October when we’ve committed to leave.”

The party needs to consider who was most able to “reboot our party” and wipe the slate clean after the Theresa May era, she said.

“Our next leader has got to be someone who can rise above all the controversy of the last few years and work with all sides to find a pragmatic solution on Brexit. To secure a future for our party they’ve got to be able to appeal to younger voters who share our values but who overwhelmingly backed remain.”

“Once Brexit is delivered it’s not going to matter which way the Prime Minister voted in 2016. What will matter is whether they’ve got the energy, ideas and enthusiasm to reboot our party and reconnect it with the country.”

She says Hancock has “a positive, optimistic vision" for the future of the UK and is a “fresh face who can wipe the slate clean on the May era and reach out beyond our comfort zone to attract new supporters to our party.”

Of the Kent Conservative MPs who have publicly declared who they intend to back, none have yet come out for Boris Johnson - considered by many to be the favourite.

Meanwhile, South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay - a prominent Brexiteer - says he will choose a candidate on the basis of where they stand on Brexit.

He said: “Positions on Brexit will be key and will be a primary issue for me in making my selection. I wanted to leave, deal or no-deal on March 29. We simply must do exactly that on the new date of October 31.No ifs, no buts, no compromises and I’ll be looking for a similarly tough stance from my preferred candidate.”

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