Tory urges party to take time selecting new leader

Mark Pritchard retained his Wrekin seat with a reduced majority of 883

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has urged his party that appointing a new leader should not happen quickly.

Pritchard, who retained his Wrekin seat in Shropshire, said it was better to "take our time and get it right rather than rush and get it wrong".

Rishi Sunak has said he will continue as leader until a successor can be found, following the party's heavy election defeat, on 4 July.

Mr Pritchard said: "I am glad that Rishi has stayed on as leader of the party, so that we have as much as possible a smooth transition."

The MP, who was first elected in 2005 and saw his own majority slashed from 18,726 to 883, said it was time for "the Conservative Party to reflect and then after a period of time to start to rebuild".

'Sobering verdict'

He said that needed to be "a methodical process, a thoughtful process, and also very much include the membership of the party".

Mr Pritchard said he also wanted to see a "Conservative Party that is united" and that would be "the first step back to power".

Asked about the divisions within the party's ranks, he said members now needed to "listen and learn from each other with humility".

As Mr Sunak responded to retaining his Richmond and North Allerton seat in the early hours of last Friday, he said: "The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight, there is much to learn... and I take responsibility for the loss."