According to two party grandees from opposing factions, Kemi Badenoch would be Labour's "worst nightmare" if she were elected leader of the Conservatives.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis and former deputy prime minister Damian Green, both from the Right and Left, respectively, claimed in a joint piece for The Telegraph that Mrs. Badenoch possessed the "star quality" to "cut through" with the people.

She was praised for being genuine, honest, and possessing a determination that would defeat Sir Keir Starmer in the dispatch box.

“We have both seen her in action in Parliament. There is no doubt she is Labour’s worst nightmare. The more the public sees her, the more they will realise she offers a clarity of thought and vision that the country is crying out for,” they said.

With a combined total of 65 years in Parliament as MPs, they have served under nine Tory prime ministers or leaders. Mr Green led the centrist One Nation group of more than 100 MPs and served as de facto deputy prime minister under Theresa May.

Mr Davis was a frontrunner for the Tory leadership in 2005 when he made it to the final two before being beaten to the top job by David Cameron who went on to become prime minister. He served as Brexit secretary under Mrs May.

In their article, they urged members to vote and warned that the wrong choice of leader could be terminal for the party. “If we make a mistake now there may not be a Conservative Party around to correct it,” they said.

‘Kemi has what it takes to renew party’

“The conservative family is uniting behind the woman who has what it takes to renew our party, end blue-on-blue infighting and defeat Keir Starmer. Kemi Badenoch is the right person at the right time to lead the Conservative Party.”

They said it was significant that two former Tory opposition leaders – Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Hague – also on different wings of the party had backed her. “Both men know how difficult it is to lead in opposition,” they said.

They welcomed her decision in the leadership campaign to steer clear of “policy promises” and instead rebuild from first principles with a “thorough and inclusive process of policy development”.

That is the strategic way to unite around a new authentically conservative, election-winning agenda,” they wrote.

“But any transformative agenda is only worth its salt if you can get the public behind it. Kemi has the star quality to get cut through. She will ensure conservatives in every part of the UK get a fair hearing again.

“Kemi stands out as straight-talking and authentic – not qualities the public associate with the political class. Her tenacity will undo Keir Starmer across the despatch box. We have both seen her in action in Parliament.”

The voting for the Tory leadership is due to close on Thursday at 5pm, with the count on Friday and the winner declared on Saturday.

It is expected to be held at the Queen Elizabeth Centre in Westminster, with the two contenders taking to the stage after being told the result by Sir Bob Blackman, chair of the Tories 1922 backbench committee, which has overseen the contest.