The Tories have “begun the process of rebuilding our party”, Michael Howard said on Friday, as he hailed the selection of the first black Conservative MP, a British Asian MP and “some fantastic new women.”

The Tories will have close to 60 new faces in the Commons, from a combination of their 33 extra seats and new candidates replacing retiring MPs. This intake will give the party a more modern look, not least by ensuring it has at least some backbenchers from ethnic minority backgrounds. Many of the most promising new MPs are also modernisers who have pledged to try to drive forward reform of the party.