Tory leadership election a 'tempting target' for Russian hackers, experts warn

Fears over the cybersecurity threat to the latest Tory leadership election are growing amid growing anger at party members who are choosing a prime minister for the second time in just seven weeks.

Core Tory activists are due to vote online next week for Liz Truss' successor - and party alumni insist the system is protected.

But experts have warned that the poll could be targeted by foreign hackers, especially Russians.

Some 170,000 Tory members are set to choose the next prime minister, after imposing Liz Truss on Britain last month.

And up to 357 Tory MPs could be left to piece together the result on Monday night if secret behind-the-scenes talks between key players this weekend result in a democracy-denying coronation.

Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry faced security concerns around the leadership election as he outlined the timetable for the autumn contest to replace doomed Ms Truss.

Boris Johnson is reportedly considering a return to the PM role (

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He said members' online vote to choose a new prime minister will be "secure".

Sir Jake insisted: "Without going into the security measures we will take...we are confident that the online voting system will be secure."

But international security expert Professor Christian Kaunert of the University of South Wales warned: "I think it's a very tempting target because in reality what you have here is a election organized at extremely short notice, which has a direct implication on who is the future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

"There are obviously a number of foreign powers with an interest in the election - Russia is the most obvious, but other players like China, Iran have also been implicated in foreign election interference .

"Here you have a process done in a very short time with a much smaller number of people involved, so potentially any kind of interference could have a much bigger impact."