Tory leadership hopefuls will be hit with yellow card if they smear rivals under new rules [Video]

TORY leadership hopefuls will be hit with a yellow card if they smear their rivals under new rules to crack down on foul play.

Party chiefs, who are desperate to avoid blue-on-blue mud-slinging, yesterday made clear they would name and shame anyone engaged in dirty tactics.

Tory leadership hopefuls, from left: Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and Mel Stride

From left: James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Priti Patel are also running to lead the party

The warning came as they confirmed the names of the six who would battle it out in the three-month race to replace Rishi Sunak.

Leading the charge is shadow communities secretary Kemi Badenoch, who is the bookies’ favourite.

But fellow right-wingers ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick and ex-Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel are gearing up to take her down.

Competing for centrist votes are shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat, shadow home secretary James Cleverlyand shadow work and …