Tory activists have expressed their dismay at the quality of candidates in the party’s leadership race, leaked messages have revealed.

       Members of the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) were critical of every candidate, describing James Cleverly as a “clown” and “not the sharpest knife in the box”.

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       Members said Kemi Badenoch was a “Boris backstabber” who was too close to Michael Gove, while Robert Jenrick “does nothing for me” because they do not trust his “shift from the centre”.

       Tom Tugendhat was described by one as “too much of a moderate and a Remainer”.

       One frustrated member was unhappy with all of the candidates, saying: “I’m still ‘none of the above’.”

       The CDO is a group of Boris Johnson-supporting Tory activists believed to have been set up by Lord Cruddas, a long-time donor.

       Mr Tugendhat was eliminated from the race on Tuesday. Tory MPs will whittle down the candidates to the final two on Wednesday.

       These will then go forward to the Tory members, who will vote on their favourite over the coming weeks. The winner will be announced on Nov 2.

       The leaked WhatsApps show that many CDO members are unimpressed with all the candidates.

       Another was not convinced by the attempts of Mr Jenrick – seen by many as a front-runner in the race – to redefine his record as immigration minister, and said he would water down the party’s message in a bid to unify the Right and Left Tory wings.

       One member said: “I don’t trust Jenrick’s shift from the centre”.

       Mr Cleverly had “failed in the Home Office” and was a “bad choice” who was not a good constituency MP, one message said.

       Another said he would try too hard to unite the party, adding: “Such compromise will only leave us at the next general election where we are currently – ie a decimated opposition party.”

       Discussing Mrs Badenoch, members accused her of being too close to Mr Gove, blamed by many for bringing down Mr Johnson.

       “More information is coming out about Kemi being influenced by Michael Gove, which is a definite no-no for me,” one said.

       Others said: “Badenoch is a one nation and one of the Boris backstabbers” and that “she’s being thrust down members’ throats. I now detest seeing and hearing her”.

       On Mr Tugendhat, one said: “Too much of a moderate and a Remainer. He would be trying to bring everyone together and we’d end up halfway between where we were before the general election and the centre, when we need to be very much Right of centre, where the true Conservative values are. He made one good speech, and that was it.”

       Former leadership contender Priti Patel also faced criticism when she was in the race.