Michael Gove has said the Conservative government is “simply not functioning” when it comes to delivering many essential basic services.
The former levelling up secretary, who was sacked by Boris Johnson after telling him to resign as prime minister, is backing Kemi Badenoch in the Tory leadership contest.
Speaking at the Policy Exchange think tank on Tuesday afternoon, Gove said: “My view is the state should do fewer things better.
“We need a strong and effective state, limited in what it chooses to do.
“I believe that there are certain essential functions that the state needs to do better and which we fail to deliver on them.
“There are some core functions, giving you your passport, giving you your driving licence, which are simply at the moment, not functioning.”
He aded: “We are no longer providing people either with the efficient delivery of services or the effective focus on what the state should do.”
Gove added the government had been “knocked off course” and its “own sense of mission has not been strong enough”.
Conservative MPs voted on Tuesday in the fourth ballot of the leadership contest.
The result is expected to be announced at 3pm, with the candidate finishing last knocked out of the contest.
Rishi Sunak is expected to easily top the poll of MPs, with Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt and Badenoch battling for second and third.
There will be one more ballot on Wednesday which will see the race whittled down to a final two, who will then face a vote of the party membership.