The leader of Warwick District Council has said the next government must focus on the big issues and not playing politics if it is to regain public confidence.

Conservative council leader Cllr Andrew Day said that "fundamental points of trust" had been broken by Boris Johnson and the previous cabinet but said that a new party leader coming in "with a clear focus" would win "considerable public support".

Speaking to Nub News the Bishop's Tachbrook councillor said: "An incoming prime minister who comes in and settles down this cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine and helps people feel confident that they can be warm in their homes this winter, I think a government that comes in with that very clear focus is going to win considerable support.

"But if it turns into political backstabbing and bickering and pettiness - we know what Westminster is capable of - I think we will all be disappointed and we will have every right to vote them out and we should do in my view.

"Conservatives over the generations have demonstrated their ability to knuckle down and tackle tough financial situations and that is what we have to do again."

Cllr Day's comments come as south Warwickshire MP Nadhim Zahawi is knocked out of the running to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.

The MP for Stratford-on-Avon was one of eight Tories to join the race to become the next party leader following the resignation of Boris Johnson.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was ruled out of the Conservative leadership contest yesterday (image via SWNS)

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But the new Chancellor fell at the first hurdle yesterday (July 13) as he and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt failed to gain enough votes from a secret ballot of Conservative MPs.

Rishi Sunak gained the most votes (88) followed by Penny Mordaunt (67).

Another ballot will be held today as the party looks to whittle down the competition to two candidates before the parliamentary break at the end of this week.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid ruled himself out of the leadership race earlier this week having failed to muster enough support from party members.

But despite the news that the next prime minister will not come from the region Cllr Day said there was "no lack of parliamentary talent" in the West Midlands.

"I have got a lot of time for Nadhim, I think he is an exceptionally capable man," he said.

"He has got form, we can trust him, we can see what he has done, there is no ambiguity about what we would be getting.

"There is no lack of parliamentary talent in the West Midlands."

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And with the new Tory leader set to take over from Boris Johnson in the autumn, Cllr Day said there was a very clear task ahead of whomever is chosen.

"Having had a bit of experience locally, I think people judge you by your actions if you are clear and consistent and you focus and do what you are saying you are going to do," he said.

"You also need to bring the bad news and share a bit of pain sometimes and that is not easy, it doesn't matter which side of the house you are running for.

"But we have got to be realistic here. The Labour Party should be a lot further ahead in the polls than they are.

"Admittedly we have had two bad by-elections, but in circumstances it was awful to try and defend those seats.

"I don't think I see a credible opposition, I do not see a 1997 moment."