TORY leadership hopeful Theresa May has received the backing of Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.

The long-standing MP told the Standard he had been torn between the Home Secretary and Andrea Leadsom, who are racing to take the top job along with Michael Gove.

But after watching a hustings on Monday night in the House of Commons he decided Mrs Leadsom did not have what it takes to steer the country into an uncertain future.

“Theresa May is highly competent, she’s been a very good Home Secretary and we live in very uncertain times, where a lot of people feeling uncertain," Mr Clifton-Brown said.

He added that her chances of winning the competition were “pretty good”.

"I would have preferred a Brexit candidate but at the moment I want the person who will be the best Prime Minister,” he said.

“We have to make sure she delivers on leaving the European Union but Teresa has explicitly said that she accepts she must abide by the public’s decision.

“There are a lot of very worried people at the moment that they’re going to be chucked out of the country. We need to offer reassurance to those people – and businesses – that there is a good future in this country and that the world is not going to stop.”

In the first round of voting on Tuesday Mrs May received 165 of 329 votes. Mrs Leadsom came second with 66 and Mr Gove got 48.

Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb withdrew from the competition after posting poor results.

This is not the first leadership battle Mr Clifton-Brown has seen after almost 25 years as MP.

“But it’s the first one where we have been voting for the future Prime Minister, instead of the leader of the opposition.

“Whoever takes over will do in exceptional times, we need someone who can stay calm.”