The Conservative Party has unveiled a "yellow card" penalty system to prevent in-fighting during its leadership race.

The six candidates competing to replace Rishi Sunak are Priti Patel, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badencoh, Mel Stride and Robert Jenrick.

Each candidate received the necessary requirements to enter the leadership race, including 10 nominations and raising £200,000 for the party.

Bob Blackman, chair of the Conservative 1992 committee said he wants a "good clean contest", and the yellow card system will see candidates reprimanded if they launch personal attacks on on another.

"The constant backfighting and attacking was one of the contributing reasons why the party did so badly at the general election," he continued.

"We are determined we will not tolerate that.”

If a candidate receives a yellow card, the committee will issue a statement, announcing the contest has been infringed, but the MP will not be barred from continuing their campaign.

Mr Blackman added: "If a yellow card is issued and a statement made to the public and to the members, that a candidate has infringed on the rules, that will be extremely detrimental to their chances of getting elected."

The six candidates will now have the parliamentary recess to make their cases to Conservative party members.

MP's will then begin voting to narrow down the race to four candidates.

Two more rounds of voting will take place until just two party candidates are left, with Tory party members choosing the winner.

The winner of the Tory leadership race will be announced on November 2.

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