This is likely to spark frenzied horse trading on Wednesday night as the remaining candidates are grilled by a massive 1922 Commission meeting starting at 5pm. An idea mooted by the 1922 Commission — to raise the threshold at which a candidate must withdraw to reduce the list of candidates more quickly — was rejected on Monday. Instead, the last-placed leadership candidate will automatically drop out. The second round of voting will take place on Thursday between 11.30am and 1.30pm with the result announced at 3pm. Other 1922 inductions are scheduled for next Monday before the third round of voting on Monday afternoon. More rounds of voting are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, depending on the number of candidates remaining. Party leaders hope that by a week on Thursday, July 21, two candidates will remain in the process. By the end of next week, Conservative HQ will take over the process and host at least 12 online and in-person meetings across the UK for party members.
