Why have the Tories opted for a long leadership race?

After a long and inconclusive meeting last week, the Conservative Party has finally decided the rules for the election of a successor to Rishi Sunak.

- JOHN RENTOUL

The former prime minister has agreed to stay on as acting leader until the new leader is elected on 2 November.

Supporters of Kemi Badenoch, the shadow housing secretary, have lost out in that she is the favourite, and a long campaign is likely to work against the front runner. The last time the party "went long" was in 2005, when Michael Howard stayed on in a deliberate attempt to promote the chances of his chosen ones, David Cameron and George Osborne.

Howard succeeded in his aim, because Cameron, who was given the education brief, embarrassed Tony Blair's government by supporting his school reforms against Labour backbenchers. Cameron then overtook David Davis, the early favourite, by delivering a "no notes" speech at the party's annual conference and winning the vote of party members.

This time, however, it is not obvious that Sunak or other grandees have a particular candidate in mind. One of the reasons for the long campaign this time is that the party is short of money, and using the party conference as a platform for hustings is a thrifty option.

What are the rules?