Boris Johnson’s spin doctor and a former Tory cabinet minister are launching a boot camp for would-be Conservative politicians amid warnings that candidates have “not been properly prepared” in the past.

Ross Kempsell, the former journalist who worked closely with Mr Johnson, and ex-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, have set up Conservatives Together, described as “the organisation to rebuild the Conservative Party’s vote-winning machine”.

It has launched a programme to find and train better candidates and political leaders. The “CTog Fellowship” will select 20 men and women at a time for intensive grounding delivered by senior politicians, experienced activists and journalists.

Mr Shapps said: “Great campaigners can make the difference in tight elections. And effective ministers can make the difference the public craves in running the country.

“Bluntly, in the past, not all our candidates or ministers have been properly prepared. They have not been able to make the difference. The same, increasingly obviously, is true of Labour’s m inisters now.

“But campaigning and governing skills can be taught – and both the Conservative Party and the country will benefit.”

Those taking part will be thrown into simulated and real-world exercises in how to build a team, communicate a political agenda, connect with their communities and, ultimately, win an election.

The name of their organisation echoes Labour Together, the Labour think tank set up while Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader to plot a path back to power once Mr Corbyn was gone.

Founders included Morgan McSweeney, now Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff in Number 10, and it was backed by Labour politicians including Wes Streeting, Shabana Mahmood, Steve Reed, Bridget Philipson, Lucy Powell and Rachel Reeves – all now in the Cabinet.