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Esther McVey has won backing for the Tory leadership from an MP who infamously called for jobless people to get vasectomies.

Ben Bradley hailed the ex-Work and Pensions Secretary as someone who can "restore trust" in the Tories.

And the 29-year-old, one of the youngest MPs in Parliament, claimed she can "transform the Conservative Party into a true, meritocratic force for good".

Ms McVey, a 50/1 outsider, has announced she will run for the party leadership when Theresa May stands down.

She said this week: "I've always said quite clearly if I got enough support from colleagues then yes I would, and now people have come forward and I have got that support."

Two of those MPs have now been revealed as Mr Bradley, MP for Mansfield, and South West Devon MP Gary Streeter.

(Image: Getty)

Ms McVey became a hate figure on the left for defending benefit cuts and the Bedroom Tax when she was a welfare minister under David Cameron.

And Mr Bradley - the Tories' former Vice Chair for youth - also faced criticism after it emerged he called for the jobless to have vasectomies.

He wrote in 2012: “Sorry but how many children you have is a choice; if you can’t afford them, stop having them! Vasectomies are free."

Separately he apologised last year for falsely claimingJeremy Corbyn "sold British secrets to Communist spies" after being threatened with legal action.

Since then he has called for the Tories to shed their toxic image among the young.

He and Mr Streeter wrote today: "The time has come for our party to take a new direction.

"The Conservative Party needs to renew its vows to the people. That is not something we can do by offering more of the same.

"Esther McVey has a clear vision of the kind of country she wants to see and the platform that can transform the Conservative Party into a true, meritocratic force for good.

"That would restore trust in our party and help us win again."