Lord Frost has declared who he's backing int he Tory leadership contest (Image: Getty)

       Veteran Brexiteer and Tory bigwig Lord Frost has pinned his colours to the mast and declared who he wants to win the leadership contest to replace Rishi Sunak.

       Making the announcement in his weekly Telegraph column, Lord Frost has said only Robert Jenrick has the ability to face up to the party’s problems, and tell the hard truths about how to fix them.

       As well as correctly diagnosing the party’s failings over the past few years, Lord Frost argues that Mr Jenrick has also been first out of the gate with a sensible manifesto for winning power again at the next general election.

       He writes: “He also sets out a way forward: a sovereign people and a sovereign country that can act decisively; more housebuilding; proper reliable cheap energy instead of the damage of the current net-zero model; a safety-net welfare state which doesn’t discourage growth and enterprise; and as he puts it, a ‘small state that works, not a big one that fails’”.

       While Lord Frost is unable to vote in the contest as a Peer, he insists that the former immigration minister “understands that our party must appeal to all of the 15 million British people who are open to voting Conservative, but equally that it can only do that if it is united around coherent, mainstream, genuinely conservative principles”.

       READ MORE: Rob Jenrick launches Tory leadership with radical pledges on migrants and ECHR

       Mr Jenrick has surged in the betting markets this week (Image: Getty)

       “We should aim to win over voters from Reform by being conservative, and from our Left by having properly serious plans to solve the country’s problems.

       “He gets that this means striking the right tone. Rebuilding our nation requires respect for each other.

       “That doesn’t mean ignoring disagreements or brushing over serious problems in our society.

       “It does mean talking about them honestly, clearly, respectfully, in a way that commands confidence that they can be dealt with.”

       Mr Jenrick has seen a surprising surge in popularity since his launch 24 hours ago, given he has rarely been talked about as an heir presumptive for the party.

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       Despite going up against some big beasts with widespread popularity among MPs, such as Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat, many betting markets now say he is the odds-on favourite to win the contest.

       Paddy Power now has Mr Jenrick beating Ms Badenoch by 13/8 to 2/1, with Tom Tugendhat in third on 4/1.

       Across almost every betting market, Mr Jenrick’s odds of shortened in his favour over the last 24 hours.

       In his campaign launch video yesterday, Mr Jenrick launched a radical manifesto for changing Britain, restoring the country’s borders and leaving the ECHR.

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       Mr Jenrick uses his campaign launch to explain how he transformed from a loyal party MP to a fervent believer that big changes are needed across the board.

       The former immigration minister, who walked out of Rishi Sunak’s government when he realised the former Prime Minister was not being strong enough over Rwanda deportations, explains how he believed the British political system "broadly worked" when he was elected in 2014.

       However over the last two years, "I’ve come to see that a new approach is needed”.

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       He explains to potential supporters: "When I was minister for immigration, I saw dangerous people coming into our country. I saw us unable to deport them. I saw hundreds of thousands of people we frankly didn't need, coming in legally.

       "But our politics was unable or unwilling to deliver what was needed. The new government aren’t going to fix things. They have too many delusions.

       "Our party is our country's best hope."