PRITI: I'LL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE TORIES

Former Home Secretary enters leadership race on a mission to end soap opera destroying party

- David Williamson

PRITI PATEL stormed into the Tory leadership race last night, pledging to end the "soap opera" which has torn her once-great party apart.

The former Home Secretary vowed to return to the breadand-butter politics that matter to ordinary Britons - ending years of bitter infighting which has damaged the Conservative brand.

She roared into the contest on a mission to turn the party of Thatcher and Churchill back into a "winning machine" in the wake of this month's devastating election drubbing.

Brexiteer Ms Patel is the only candidate with direct experience of the hard graft of Opposition, having worked for William Hague after the historic defeat of 1997.

Launching her bid for the Tory crown, she declared: "It is time to put unity before personal vendetta, country before party and delivery before self-interest. I have done this throughout my 30-plus years of service to our party, both in government and opposition. I can get us match fit to win the next general election."

Ms Patel, 52, is the fifth MP to throw their hat in the ring and the first woman. Bookies' favourite Kemi Badenoch has enough backers to run and is expected to declare her candidacy before nominations close at 2.30pm tomorrow.

Last night Ms Patel told the Sunday Express she will put uniting a "fractured" party at the centre of her pitch to MPs and members. If she wins the leadership, her priority will be "reinvigorating" the party membership who will be the pavement warriors in the coming elections.