Scramble for candidates as Gove leads the Tory exodus

Sunak catches his own party unprepared for general election

- DAVID MADDOX

The Tories are scrambling to find candidates for almost a third of constituencies after Rishi Sunak's decision to keep many of his party's senior figures in the dark about his decision to call a snap election.

It is understood that when Mr Sunak made his rain-sodden announcement on the steps of Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon, candidates for 191 of the 650 seats still needed to be selected.

Since then more vacancies have occurred with a number of Tory MPs announcing they will retire - the total now stands at 78, breaking the 1997 record of 75. This dramatically included levelling-up secretary Michael Gove and former leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom last night.

Party chiefs are desperately appealing to prospective candidates to put themselves forward for seats - many of which they are projected to lose heavily - with the Conservatives expected to still be putting up batches of adverts for constituencies over the weekend.

Political commentator Sir Anthony Seldon, a biographer of six prime ministers, said: "Surprise is always a smart tactic for a general, but it's the enemy who should be surprised, not your own side. The Conservatives are going to have to move PDQ to fill their remaining empty seats to show that they are truly a national party."

Former cabinet minister David Jones said he was "not sure why" the button had been pressed for an election "without close to a full slate of candidates being chosen". He added: "It is a huge commitment [to be a candidate]. People's lives are literally going to be turned upside down. That is even more true for those who are being selected now. At least some will have had two years' preparation but the ones selected now will have very little time to get ready."