A Tory backbencher has become the first to declare he would run to replace Boris Johnson if the PM is forced out.

Former soldier Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, is said to be a favourite with centrist Tories who believe he is the party’s ‘best chance for a fresh start’.

The MP for Tonbridge and Malling hinted he would go for the top job as Downing Street waits on tenterhooks for the long-awaited Sue Gray report.

Number 10 said it still had not received a copy of the document investigating alleged lockdown breaches on Saturday morning – as the Met Police insisted it had not delayed its publication.

But Downing Street could get a redacted version of the dossier as early as this weekend.

Mr Tugendhat – who expressed fury over the government’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal – said it would be a ‘huge privilege’ to serve the nation as Prime Minister.  

He told Times Radio today: ‘I think that it’s up to all of us to put ourselves forward.

‘And it’s up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose.

“I think it’s a position of absolute integrity to say that of course you should offer yourself to the electorate if you think you can do it.’

The would-be Tory leader insisted he hasn’t been canvassing support – but added ‘of course you should have a go’ if colleagues got behind him.

On being Prime Minister, he said: ‘It’s one of those questions that I know many people ask and some people, some of my colleagues, are coy about and I don’t understand why.

‘I don’t think you should be embarrassed to want to serve your country.

‘I was very proud to serve my country in the armed forces and I got to the highest rank I could so that I could have the best effect that I could.

‘And I was very proud to serve as a diplomat around the world.’

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are said to be the front-runners for the leadership if Mr Johnson loses his grip on power.

But Mr Tugendhat, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, could attract support due to his military background.

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A former cabinet minister told The Guardian: ‘I think a lot of people think he would be the best chance for a fresh start with someone who has a lot of relevant experience and deep thinking.’

It would be a ‘relief by all accounts to have someone like that in the job at the moment’, another backbencher reportedly said.

Mr Tugendhat criticised the ‘lack of leadership, urgency and adequate resourcing’ in the Kabul evacuation.

‘It is deeply painful how badly we have let Afghanistan down,’ he said.

Mr Johnson continues to cling on to his premiership despite mounting pressure over what the Sue Gray report might reveal.

The PM faced further criticism after a government email emerged showing he personally authorised the evacuation of 173 dogs and cats from Afghanistan as the Taliban seized control.

But he dismissed claims over the controversial airlift as ‘total rhubarb’.

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