Accelerated selection

There are far too many candidates standing for the Conservative Party leadership, a fact acknowledged by almost everyone, including, one suspects, many of the hopefuls. Some have hardly any experience as MPS, let alone as ministers. James Cleverly, for instance, has been in the Commons only since 2015. Many of the others entered Parliament in 2010 and have had little time to show their colleagues or anyone else that they would make a good prime minister, and especially one able to deal with the greatest domestic political crisis since the last war.

The Conservatives with the longest experience, such as Kenneth Clarke or Philip Hammond, who might in other circumstances have stood, are not proposing to do so, as far as we know. They are both Remainers who know they cannot match the pro-brexit rhetoric necessary to win.

Sam Gyimah, a former education minister, became the 13th declared candidate at the weekend and he may not be the last. As James Brokenshire, the Communities Secretary, said, some of these candidates with no chance might want to consider pulling out before the contest begins formally on June 10.

Some MPS have proposed a threshold of support from at least 10 MPS rather than two as now. But if changing the rules to disqualify candidates is deemed unfair, the process of whittling down the field to two whose names will go before members must be expedited. With little going on at Westminster, it should be possible to carry out the required ballots within a week, holding three a day if necessary. It may be an onerous task for the MPS but they have brought it on themselves. They need to avoid a shambles becoming a farce.