ONE of Gwent's most senior Conservative politicians is keeping an open mind about who he will support in the upcoming party leadership contest.

Former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has thrown his hat into the ring as new party boss and Prime Minister after David Cameron announced he would step down in the autumn following the result of last week's referendum, alongside Michael Gove, Theresa May, Liam Fox and Andrea Leadsom.

Meanwhile former London mayor Boris Johnson, thought by many to be the favourite for the job, dramatically announced he would not run for the position yesterday, Thursday, morning.

Monmouth MP David Davies said any of the five candidates would make a good Prime Minister and he had not yet made up his mind about who he would support.

"I am not sure who I am going to go for, but one think I am going to look at is the team that have around them," he said.

"There are going to be people who attract big names to get behind them and I will be attracted by that.

"But individually I think any of them could do it."

Mr Davies, who campaigned for the UK to leave the European Union ahead of the referendum, added he did not think it was important which side the winning candidate supported during the campaign.

"Providing they are committed to it I don't think it matters at all," he said.

"They are going to have to have people around them from both sides."

Mr Gove, Mr Fox and Ms Leadsom backed the Leave campaign while Mr Crabb and Ms May supported the Remain camp.

Mr Davies added he was surprised by Mr Johnson's announcement.

"It was a surprise about Boris," he said

"I think Boris with Michael Gove would have been a strong team."

Meanwhile both Nick Ramsay, who represents Monmouth in the Senedd, has announced he will back Stephen Crabb for the leadership, while his Conservative colleague for South Wales East Mohammad Asghar said he had not yet decided which of the five would win his backing.

"It is understandable that there is much interest about who the next leader of the Conservative Party will be," he said.

"All the declared candidates have fine qualities and are capable of performing the role."

Mr Asghar, more commonly known as Oscar, added he did not feel it was important which side the winning candidate had backed in last week's referendum.

"We need the best person for the job, irrespective of whether they voted Leave or Remain," he said. "Someone with experience, gravitas and whose agenda will reach out to those who do not regard themselves as natural Conservatives. Someone who can unite the Conservative Party and unite the country."

Alun Cairns, who succeeded Stephen Crabb as Welsh secretary, has also backed his predecessor, while leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies has not publicly announced who he will support.