A ‘shadow’ Tory leadership battle already appears to be underway as rivals jostle for position ahead of an expected contest this summer.

Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Grant Shapps and Tom Tugendhat are among likely contenders who have refused to rule out leadership bids.

It has also emerged how a string of websites backing possible hopefuls have been created or updated in recent months.

According to The Times, the site kemi4leader.com, which redirects to the Conservative Party homepage, was registered in West Yorkshire on April 18.

Another site backingbadenoch.co.uk was last updated on June 27 and is thought to be a grassroots effort, the newspaper reported.

But the website used for Kemi Badenoch’s leadership attempt in 2022, kemiforprimeminister.com, no longer exists.

It has emerged how a string of websites backing possible Tory leadership hopefuls, such as Kemi Badenoch, have been created or updated in recent months 

The website backingbadenoch.co.uk was last updated on June 27 and is thought to be a grassroots effort

Suella Braverman (left) and Penny Mordaunt both have websites remaining from their past leadership bids

It was also revealed how the website suella4leader.co.uk, used to promote the campaign of former home secretary Suella Braverman in 2022, was last updated on 10 June.

And the website pm4pm, used by Penny Mordaunt – the Leader of the House of Commons – during her previous leadership campaign, was last updated on the day of the local elections in May.

The newspaper reported that Ms Braverman and Ms Badenoch denied the websites in their current form had anything to do with them or their team, with Ms Braverman having not used the website since her 2022 leadership campaign.

Ms Mordaunt’s website was said to have been renewed so the domain could be kept live rather than as an active leadership challenge.

It is possible some website domain names could have been bought by people hoping to make a profit by reselling them at a later date.

With opinion polls showing the Conservatives are on course for a devastating defeat at Thursday’s general election, Rishi Sunak could be forced to quit this week.

Mr Shapps, the Defence Secretary, yesterday became the latest high-profile Tory to refuse to rule out a leadership bid.

The Sun on Sunday reported he was gearing up to run for the Conservatives’ top job if he retains his Welwyn Hatfield constituency, where he is facing a stiff challenge from Labour, on Thursday. 

Asked directly if he would stand for the leadership, he told the newspaper: ‘I’m looking at winning in Welwyn Hatfield. I think we are going to defy the polling.

‘Our local data is good. My time-horizon is next Thursday. And then let’s see what’s happened.

‘I’m looking forward to serving the country with the experience I’ve got in whatever capacity.’

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps (left) and security minister Tom Tugendhat both refused to rule out a leadership bid at the weekend

But Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister and a close ally of Mr Sunak, dismissed suggestions he could become the next Tory leader as ‘total and utter nonsense’

Mr Tugendhat, the security minister who ran for leader in 2022, also failed to rule out another leadership tilt.

He told Times Radio: ‘What I want to do is to make sure we’ve got a Conservative leader in this country and that’s why I’m supporting Rishi Sunak.

‘Because the alternative with Keir Starmer, I’m afraid, is higher taxes, more regulation, worse growth and more unemployment.

‘What we need to do is to make sure that Conservatives across this country win their seats and that’s exactly what I’ve been focused on.’

Pressed again on the issue of what happens after the general election, he added: ‘Well, we’ll deal with hypotheticals in a different way.’

Mr Cleverly, the Home Secretary, and Ms Badenoch, the Business Secretary, last week hinted they might also be among those considering a leadership bid.

But Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister and a close ally of Mr Sunak, dismissed suggestions he could become the next Tory leader as ‘total and utter nonsense’.

It followed a report that Mr Dowden is being touted as a caretaker leader until a Conservative leadership election is held in the autumn, or even as late as December.