MPs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) and David Lidington (Aylesbury) have both come out in favour of Michael Portillo as leader of the Conservative Party.

Both declared their support publicly within minutes of Mr Portillo saying he would be a candidate, following William Hague's resignation in the wake of Labour's victory.

Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve and Wycombe MP Paul Goodman have not yet made up their minds.

The leader will be chosen by a ballot of all members of the Conservative Party next month, the first time this has happened, though party MPs will first choose two contenders.

Mrs Gillan will be a member of Mr Portillo's campaign team, with her boss, shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude, as campaign manager.

Mrs Gillan also wants Ken Clarke, sidelined by William Hague because of his views on the Euro, to team up with Mr Portillo.

She said: "I would be delighted. I have lots of respect for him. I don't agree with him on the Euro but we need to make sure that the 99.9 per cent we do agree on is also heard.

"We want to be inclusive and we are moving forward," she said, while adding: "It is going to be painful very painful for a long time."

Mr Lidington, second in command in the Shadow Home Office to another contender Ann Widdecombe, said: "Michael Portillo is the man most likely, under the circumstances, to be able to pull the party together. We need a team of all the talents."

He added: "I very much hope there is a place for Ken Clarke and people who think like him; but whether a formula can be found to enable him to come back on to the front bench I don't know."

He said there were real issues about the collective responsibility of the front bench team.

Mrs Gillan said: "We have to learn; to modify and rethink our policies."

But she said Tory policies must be the traditional ones more freedom and less government. The party had to talk about things that were of interest to people health, education, jobs and security, she said.

Mr Lidington also said the Conservatives had failed to connect with people.

He said: "I don't believe the policies were wrong or unpopular on Europe or asylum, but they were given a disproportionate emphasis. People would agree about Europe, but then say 'We are worried about our children's schools or Wycombe Hospital'."

Mr Lidington, who was Mr Hague's parliamentary private secretary for two years, said the leader's decision to stand down was the right one and characteristically brave.

He said: "The sad thing is the public didn't warm to him, and didn't see him as a serious alternative prime minister. That was wrong. He had the qualities and the ability to do the top job."