Michael Gove has raised the prospects of a Tory leadership battle between two state-educated rising stars of Theresa May's Cabinet.

Damian Hinds, the new Education Secretary, and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson have been tipped to face-off in the future, potentially to become the country's Prime Minister.

Both were educated in northern state schools but longstanding Cabinet member and current Environment Secretary Gove described them as polar opposites in their make-up.

Damian Hinds, the new Education Secretary, and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured) have been tipped to face-off in the future, potentially to become the country's Prime Minister

Andrew Gimson reported Gove said of the Damian Hinds' political stance: 'The Catholic Church has a part to play and authority is tempered with mercy'

Williamson is a 'tough and gritty' hardline conservative politician, according to Gove, who said Hinds represented a different side of conservatism.

Writing in Conservative Home, Andrew Gimson reported Gove said of the new man responsible for the Department for Education's political stance: 'The Catholic Church has a part to play and authority is tempered with mercy.'

Gove said he can 'see a day' when the two square off for the party's top job.

While Hinds landed his first major job in Cabinet having previously overseen the DWP, he appears to have the backing of his colleagues.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, according to Conservative Home, said of him: 'He’s one of my oldest friends. He’s a very decent, honest man.

'He doesn’t seek the limelight, but I have thought since 2010 [when they both entered Parliament] he was bound to get into the Cabinet on the basis of ability.

Gove said he can 'see a day' when the two square off for the party's top job

'He doesn’t make mistakes.'

Gove also described him as a 'dashing and accomplished speaker', which should be welcome news for Theresa May in the aftermath of her disastrous reshuffle.

But the extent of the Cabinet catastrophe means her leadership has been brought into question.

The PM embarked on her biggest reshuffle this week, but it got off to an embarrassing start after the Tory Twitter account wrongly announced Chris Grayling was being made party chairman.

The tweet was swiftly deleted after less than a minute and it later emerged Brandon Lewis had been given the top party job.

James Brokenshire resigned as Northern Ireland Secretary due to poor health while Justice Secretary David Lidington has been shifted to fill the gap left by the axing of deputy PM Damian Green.

However, although he will deputise for Mrs May at PMQs he has not been granted the same status as First Secretary of State.

Embarrassingly the image congratulating Mr Grayling had already been shared by MPs including Rebecca Pow and Sheryll Murray.

Earlier the official Tory website crashed after someone apparently forgot to renew a security certificate.

Hours later, as uncertainty swirled around Downing Street surrounding the position of Justine Greening, she spectacularly quit after failing to cling onto her job as Education Secretary.

In an extraordinary stand-off, Miss Greening remained in Downing Street for two-and-a-half hours as she refused a move to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Theresa May embarked on her biggest reshuffle this week, but it got off to an embarrassing start after the Tory Twitter account wrongly announced Chris Grayling was being made party chairman

As uncertainty swirled around Downing Street surrounding the position of Justine Greening, she spectacularly quit after failing to cling onto her job as Education Secretary

After Theresa May reiterated that this was the only Cabinet job on offer, she was forced to resign.

Miss Greening, 48, who was the first openly gay woman Cabinet minister, could now prove to be a thorn in the Prime Minister's side over Brexit and a third runway at Heathrow.

In her job at education, where she has been since Mrs May took office, Miss Greening annoyed allies of the Prime Minister with her lack of enthusiasm for grammar schools.

This position has now been filled by Damian Hinds, a man who has the initial backing of Tories to one day conduct his own reshuffle.