Eleven Tory candidates have thrown their hat into the ring, but those without the support of 20 MPs will not appear in the first ballot, which is due to be held tomorrow. The bar will be gradually raised higher and candidates will then need the support of 30 MPs to take part in the second vote on Thursday. Politics Hub: Poll reveals which party members support – live updates In the coming days, further votes may be held if the number of candidates does not decrease quickly enough. Two final candidates will then be presented to Conservative Party members, who will be able to choose their preferred leader by postal ballot. Boris Johnson will remain Prime Minister until the result is announced in early September. Jacob Rees-Mogg has now ruled himself out of the race to lead the Conservatives, with Home Secretary Priti Patel expected to announce her intention to run soon. Nominations are set to open and close today, meaning time is of the essence for those who have yet to declare a leadership bid. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, who started the avalanche of resignations last week alongside Sajid Javid, leads with almost 40 supporters – and that would be enough to see him through to Thursday’s second vote. Trade Policy Secretary Penny Mordaunt also broke the 20 MP threshold to be nominated, as did Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. But just days after Mr Johnson announced his resignation last Thursday, there were warnings that the contest could tighten as potential candidates put forward plans for tax cuts. Read more: Who are the candidates for the next prime minister? Johnson is determined to deliver his 2019 election mandate in the final weeks “This is not Game Of Thrones” Mr Javid has described the current battle as “venomous” – and has told opponents: “This is not House Of Cards or Game of Thrones”. Making a speech in Westminster, he warned the Tories faced “electoral oblivion” if they did not change – and urged his colleagues to “pull themselves together”. He added: “I’m sorry to say that, looking at some of the stories in the weekend press, it hasn’t been our best start. Vicious gossip, attack memos, allegations. “This isn’t House Of Cards or Game Of Thrones. And people who are here just to enjoy the game are in the wrong place.” During the event, Mr Javid repeatedly dodged questions about his non-resident status before entering politics, refusing to say where he was based for tax purposes when asked if he used tax havens. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 3:12 Javid: “Maybe I should have left earlier” Tax plans attract scrutiny Tax cuts have been a dominant issue for many of the conservative leadership candidates. Mr Javid has set out around £40bn of plans to scrap the rise in corporation tax and the National Insurance Levy he previously backed, and said he would push for a cut in income tax. This will be paid for under current fiscal capacity and “new returns” to the government, he said. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has pledged to cut taxes “from day one” and scrap April’s NI rise, while new chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has promised to cut income tax in 2023 and 2024 and scrap green fees on energy bills for two years. Attorney-general Suella Braverman said there was “no alternative to radical tax cuts” amid the cost-of-living crisis, while former health and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he wanted to “cut all taxes”. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:39 Johnson “determined” in recent weeks Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Tories were collecting £200 billion of unpriced pledges from the “magic money tree” in an “arms race of economic fantasy”. Former Tory chancellor Lord Lamont warned the leadership contest would descend into a “Dutch auction” and that “unfunded, irresponsible tax cuts” would push up interest rates. Mr Sunak, who starts his campaign today, will outline his economic plan to “tackle inflation, grow the economy and cut taxes” – once inflation is under control. “We need a return to traditional conservative economic values – and that means honesty and accountability, not fairy tales,” he will say. Mr Johnson said he would not back either candidate as he “wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s chances”. Image: Tory leadership candidates Sky News is hosting a live televised debate with the candidates vying to be the next leader of the Conservative party and therefore prime minister, and you could be in the virtual audience. The debate will take place on Monday 18 July hosted by Sky News presenter Kay Burley. If you would like to join the virtual audience and have the chance to ask a question, please email [email protected]
