Mrs Leadsom set out her plans to push parts of Mrs May’s deal through parliament – despite the Withdrawal Agreement being rejected by the House three times – to soften the impact of the UK leaving without a deal on October 31. The Tory leadership candidate described her plan to “massively ramp up” preparations for a “managed” exit without a full deal, rather than a renegotiation.

The three-step plan includes legislation which provisionally agrees a smooth Brexit process in the Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and UK.

She also wants to introduce a citizens’ rights bill which will protect EU citizens in the UK and an EU Departure Provisions Bill to include “sensible measures” covering issues such as security measures, cross-border flights, medicine and sovereign bases.

Andrea Leadsom also vowed to work on plans for a “virtual border” in Northern Ireland and special arrangements for “just in time” supply chains.

She is also proposing a EU summit in September to agree a programme where the UK will offer the EU to support a managed exit.

But Mrs Leadsom, former leader of the House of Commons, admitted “nothing is guaranteed”.

She told Sky News: “Of course nothing is guaranteed.

“All of these are political calculations but essentially if you agree with the EU that we are leaving at the end of October and that will be in their interests and our interests you then turn around that debate so that we and the EU can have a shared interest in making sure that the transition is smooth.”

Mrs Leadsom resigned days before Mrs May announced her departure from Number 10.

She joins 11 Conservative MPs still running to take over as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is one of the frontrunners in the Conservative leadership contest, with 40 public endorsements, ahead of both Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse and Brexit Minister James Cleverly have pulled out of the crowded race to succeed Mrs May.

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