Andrea Leadsom has placed her experience in the City at the centre of her candidacy to become prime minister Ben Cawthra/London News Pictures Ltd

Andrea Leadsom has no experience as an investment banker despite claims from her backers that she managed billions of pounds’ worth of funds, The Times can reveal.

Mrs Leadsom, who has never held a cabinet role and has only been a minister since April 2014 and an MP since 2010, has placed her experience in the City at the centre of her candidacy to become leader and prime minister.

She has described her 25 years in financial services and running “enormous teams” as evidence of her suitability for the roles. The MP Bernard Jenkin has cited her senior position at “a large investment firm where she was responsible for managing hundreds of people and billions of pounds”.

During ten years at the investment fund Invesco…