Mr Richards had stood down temporarily from the leadership in order to fight an allegation of causing grievous bodily harm to a young woman.

His choice of deputy leader, 29-year-old Monmouth Assembly Member David Davies, was rejected by the other Tory AMs, who thought him too inexperienced, and when that happened, Mr Richards made his resignation permanent.

David Davies was rejected as stand-in leader

The bulk of the remaining seven Tory AMs have opted for Nick Bourne to be their leader in the Assembly.

If no further nominations have been received for the leadership by Wednesday, then Mr Bourne will become the new leader of the Tories in the Assembly.

Mr Bourne had previously challenged Rod Richards for the leadership of the Conservatives in Wales, losing to him in a ballot of the members.

Educated at University of Wales, Aberystwyth and Trinity College, Cambridge, Mr Bourne was formerly, the Conservatives_ Chief Spokesman in Wales.

He led the No campaign against the setting up of the National Assembly in 1997, but after the vote went in favour of devolution, he became a member of the National Assembly Advisory Group.