A total of six candidates made it through to the first round of voting, with the chairman of the 1922 support committee, Sir Graham Brady, revealing the number of MPs who had supported each of them. Those who made it to the next round are: However, Mr Hunt and Mr Zahawi failed to meet the 30-vote threshold, receiving only 25 and 18 votes respectively. Tory MPs will vote again on Thursday as they continue to narrow the field to the final two candidates. Politics Hub: The latest reaction from Westminster as the field to become next PM narrows Mr Zahawi, who was appointed chancellor just last week, issued a statement saying his “ultimate focus” would now be on the Finance Ministry as “the manager of the nation’s finances”. He added: “I was there for her [leadership] because I have a passionate vision for the UK I want to see. A place where competence, skills and productivity are key to achieving success and where opportunities exist for all. “Clearly my involvement in the competition is now over. My priority is my job as Chancellor of the Exchequer.” Mr Hunt, who was in the bottom two to run against Boris Johnson in the last leadership election, took to Twitter to thank his “incredible team”, adding: “It’s clear to me that you only have one big chance in it, and I had my 2019. “However, it’s clear that our party has an exciting future, with the amazing array of talent on offer in this competition, and I feel confident that we are well on our way to winning back trust.” But the former health minister also gave “kind advice” to those still in the race, warning them against “spotting and attacking” for “short-term tactical gain”. “The nation is watching and fed up with our drama,” he added. Image: (L-R) Nadhim Zahawi and Jeremy Hunt When it came to the first round winners, Ms Mordaunt posted a video thanking her supporters, while Mr Tugendhat, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, called it a “fantastic result” for his campaign. He also tweeted his condolences to Mr Zahawi, saying: “You are a great person, you were a great candidate and you are a great friend. Frontline politics needs you.” Ms Braverman, who is the attorney general, also tweeted her thanks and the Secretary of State’s spokeswoman Ms Truss called on MPs to “unite” behind her, saying she would “cut taxes, get real economic change we need from the day. one and ensure that Putin loses in Ukraine.” Ms Badenoch said she was “grateful” to be through to the next stage, adding: “Our party must stand as the party of change. I have the conviction, courage and clarity of thought to bring about this change.” There is still more to go in the competition until the final two candidates arrive, with the second round of voting taking place on Thursday. Senior Tory backbencher Charles Walker told Sky News the decision on the new threshold to pass would be decided by the 1922 Committee tonight, but he believed it would come down to between 40 and 50 votes. The final stage is expected to be reached by the end of next week at the latest, leaving the final pair to go on summer outings and face the wider Tory party vote – resulting in an announcement on September 5. The leadership contest began when Boris Johnson announced his departure from Downing Street last week. There followed an avalanche of ministerial resignations over the handling of disgraced MP Chris Pincher and accusations he had lied about what he knew about the former deputy chief whip’s misconduct. Johnson remains at No 10 as caretaker prime minister for the duration of the contest. But Labor is pushing for the prime minister to step down immediately, seeking a vote of confidence in him and the government – potentially triggering a general election. Instead, the government called for a confidence vote on its own, allowing it to set the wording to make it easier for Mr Johnson’s Tory critics to vote in favour. 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]
