Horsham MP Francis Maude today indicated he was ready to quit the Conservative Party's front bench.

The shadow foreign secretary said he was "desperately disappointed" by his close ally Michael Portillo's elimination from the leadership race.

The Horsham MP, who ran Mr Portillo's campaign, said he now feared a "highly divisive" contest between Kenneth Clarke and Iain Duncan Smith, who last night snatched the top two places in a ballot of 166 MPs.

And he said continuing to serve in the Tory shadow cabinet now had "limited appeal".

Mr Portillo has already announced his decision to quit front line politics.

Mr Maude said he would reach a view "further down the line" on whether he would serve in the shadow cabinet under Mr Clarke or Mr Duncan Smith.

But he added: "I have been an MP for 13 years in total and 11 of them have been on the front bench.

"The appeal of it is limited and there are lots of other things to do. For a start I have not seen very much of my family for some time.

"Being the MP for Horsham and doing other things may be what I decide to do, but I have not reached a decision yet."

The MP said he had been supporting Mr Portillo for the "good of the party".

He continued: "I am desperately disappointed for the party because I think there is now a highly divisive contest in prospect.

"I do not think any of the candidates really know how they will unite this party, so we have a difficult time ahead.

"It also indicates the party is not serious about making the changes which are needed for us to win."

Mr Portillo's bid to succeed Mr Hague got off to a flying start - with Mr Maude immediately declaring the support for his candidate of 12 members of the shadow cabinet.

But the campaign faltered amid controversy over Mr Portillo's reported views on the legalisation of cannabis and Section 28, which bans the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Mr Maude has endured a difficult week after being hit by allegations of "disloyalty" to William Hague.

In a video diary, Mr Hague's spin-doctor Amanda Platell said Mr Maude and aides of Michael Portillo had been briefing against him.

She alleged they were criticising the decision to focus the Tories' election campaign on Europe, rather than public services.

He strongly denied claims that he and Portillo aides had briefed against Mr Hague.

Meanwhile Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames said the party had made the wrong choice in rejecting Mr Portillo. He said: "I think it's a terrible tragedy for the party."