We now go live to Birmingham, where four of the Conservative Party’s best and brightest are vying for the honour of being knifed by colleagues after the next election.

“Frankly Camilla, people have taken my words completely out of context. Well, when I said those things, I didn’t think anyone was writing them down. And if you’re going to take that attitude, I’m going to be speaking to your proprietor.”

“Well Fraser, when I was serving my country in Afghanistan and Iraq, and you know, I did serve my country, in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the only thing I was thinking about was my regret that I had but one life to give for my country. And now that I no longer serve in that way, by putting my body in the line of fire day in and day out, I’m looking for other ways to serve. Just as I did in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“Look, Chris, when I resigned last year in protest at not being made Home Secretary, it was a very sad decision for me. The last thing on my mind, as I sat there that afternoon registering Jenrick4Leader.com, was how my departure from government could be positioned to help me in this campaign.”

“Rob, I’m an open book. The James Cleverly you see is the James Cleverly you’ll get. I speak as I find, even if it’s not popular. For instance, and I make no apology for telling a room full of Tories this, I voted for Brexit.”

“BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT I SAID, Mishal. Yes, I did use those words. Yes, in that order. Yes, in answer to that question. But it’s typical of the hostile attitude of the BBC that you would quote my words back to me accurately as evidence of what I think. Well yes, I do think it. But it’s completely unfair of you to tell people. I’ll be calling your editor.”

“Look Kate, it’s for other candidates to account for what they did during the war on terror. All I can talk about is what I did. Although I’m afraid I actually can’t. Are there people in this room who don’t realise that they owe me their lives? Could it be most of them? I really can’t say.”

“Beth, sometimes you’ve got to do tough things. The tough thing I’m saying is that the Tory problem wasn’t that we banged on about Europe too much, it’s that we didn’t bang on about Europe enough.”

“I’m the most experienced candidate, Laura. I’ve sat on the UN Security Council. I looked my Russian opposite number in the eye and told him: ‘The invasion of Ukraine stops now.’ And I think the history speaks for itself.”

“Nick, I believe we’re seeing a fundamental realignment in the way we do our politics. The voters are a pyramid, you see. The right used to be on the top, and the left used to be on the bottom. But if you look at the pyramid now, there’s a vertical split. Here’s the right, on the left, and over here is the left, on the right. So If you want to reach the centre with a message from the right, you have to go … hang on…”

“Killing terrorists, Iain? Hahahaha, well, of course I can’t talk about that, but let’s just say, some make speeches, others have had to make the decision. More than once.”

“I did say that I wanted Donald Trump to win, yes. But I regret saying that, because we hadn’t focus-grouped it. We’ve done research now, and it turns out that even Tories aren’t that mad. So what I’d say now is that I haven’t changed my view that I’d like Donald Trump to win. But I’d also like Kamala Harris to win.”

“Every single one of the other candidates is not only a colleague, but a friend. That’s true of the mad one, the slimy one, and the one who spent the last decade plotting. So I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m simply not the sort of person who points out that someone is completely mental, even when she is.”

“… down and left. No, it’s supposed to be like that. Because it’s on the pyramid’s right. Obviously the pyramid is facing us, I can’t believe I’m having to explain this to a man of your intelligence, Nick. I’ll be having words with your boss. Should we wait a bit before getting into all this? I was expecting a bigger crowd. I don’t know where everyone can be, the directions on the flier were very clear.”

“I’m afraid I really can’t, Tim. I swore an oath to keep the King’s secrets, and I’m not going to break that for you. Let’s just say, well, I’m not saying I’m the one who pulled the trigger on Bin Laden, but I’m not denying it, either.”

“I did vote Remain, yes, but my heart was, I now realise, with Leave. I think looking back my mistake was sucking up to David Cameron, when I can see today that I should have been sucking up to Boris Johnson.”

“I’m a plain man, Chris, not afraid to tell it how it is, whether it wins me friends or not. And I’ll tell you, I don’t care who here knows it, I don’t care if it costs me votes. I looked her in the eye and I said: ‘I like you, Baroness Thatcher.’”