Voting has closed in Tory MPs’ first vote to choose Boris Johnson’s successor. The eight candidates – Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt, Nadhim Zahawi and Suella Braverman – were trying to secure the support of at least 30 MPs to get through the first round of voting, which has ended. at 3.30 p.m. The results are expected at 5 pm. Earlier, the Prime Minister said he would leave office “with his head held high” in a fiery row with Sir Keir Starmer in the Commons. Mr Johnson told PMQs that he was not leaving “at a time of my choosing” but that he remained “proud” of his record in government. Ms Mordaunt, making her speech, said she was the candidate Labor “feared the most”.
READ MORE
He was boosted by a poll suggesting he would win the run-off to become the next Tory leader and prime minister if he makes it down to the bottom two candidates. The early YouGov poll of 876 party members, who will decide between the two final candidates to replace Mr Johnson, showed Ms Mordant leading by 27%. In second place was Ms Badenoch with 15%, followed by Mr Sunak and Ms Truss with 13%.
Live updates
Show latest updates 1657724743
Key dates in the Conservative leadership contest
Boris Johnson’s successor will be announced on September 5 with Tory MPs to begin the process of voting for a new leader on Wednesday. Here is a schedule for the leadership contest. – Wednesday July 13: First vote. Any candidate who fails to gather at least 30 votes is expected to drop out. – Thursday 14 July: Second vote. A second vote will follow on Thursday with further votes taking place next week until the shortlist of candidates is whittled down to the final two – who will then proceed to a postal ballot of party members. – Friday July 15: First debate. Channel 4 will hold the first televised Tory leadership debate with the remaining candidates at 7pm. – Sunday July 17: Second debate. ITV will host a televised debate at 7pm. – Monday July 18: Third debate. Sky News is scheduled to host another debate the following evening. – Friday 22 July onwards: Inductions will be held across the country over the summer to help party members determine their choice for the new Conservative leader. – Monday September 5: The new Conservative leader was announced. The new prime minister will be announced on September 5 when MPs return to Westminster from the summer break. 1657723697
Penny Mordaunt is a ‘pure favourite’, according to William Hill
Penny Mordaunt is the “clear favourite” to replace Boris Johnson as the next leader of the Conservative Party, according to William Hill. The bookmaker has 4/6 odds on the trade secretary to win the Tory leadership contest. The poll shows Chancellor Rishi Sunak as the second most popular candidate, at 10/3, while Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has a 7/2 chance of winning. William Hill spokesman Tony Kenny said: “After the poll results revealed that Penny Mordaunt is the clear favorite among Conservative Party members to replace Boris Johnson, punters have been lining up to back the Trade Secretary . “Mordaunt is the first odds-on candidate in the next Tory leader betting and is now the strong favorite at 4/6, with Rishi Sunak trailing in the race at 10/3.” William Hill odds The next permanent Conservative leader after Boris Johnson: Penny Mordaunt – 4/6 Rishi Sunak -10/3 Liz Truss -7/2 Kemi Badenoch -20/1 Tom Tugendhat -28/1 Suella Braverman -100/1 Jeremy Hunt -100/1 Nadhim Zahawi – 200/1 1657723070
Voting closed on the first ballot for the Tory leader
Former chief whip Sir Gavin Williamson, a supporter of Rishi Sunak, was one of the last MPs to vote. It appeared at 3.26pm, just four minutes before the polls closed at 3.30pm. The results are expected at 5 pm. 1657722643
Explained: Who are the final 8 Tory leadership contenders?
Tory leadership: Who are the final 8 candidates? 1657721546
Steve Baker says ‘every Eurosceptic’s heart is with Suella’
Steve Baker, a leading supporter of Suella Braverman, said: “As far as I can see every Eurosceptic’s heart is with Suella.” However, he admitted that some Brexiteers had made other “calculations” about who to back. 1657720407
Breaking: RMT announces new strikes
Workers at rail companies and Network Rail will strike on July 27 in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union has announced. 1657719768
Truss votes
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, among the candidates to replace Boris Johnson, smiled as she arrived to vote in the first stage of the contest. Ms Truss, who avoided the queues as the rush to vote subsided, said little as she arrived in the Commons committee room. About 300 MPs are believed to have voted so far in the contest, campaign watchers said. 1657718868
Two thirds of the vote now
At least two-thirds of Tory MPs have now voted in the first ballot of the contest to replace Boris Johnson, campaign watchers told the PA news agency. Suella Braverman voted in the contest after 2pm, after a busy start to proceedings which saw Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Gove, Ben Wallace, Priti Patel and other senior Tories vote to find a successor to the prime minister. 1657717691
Watch: Johnson raises prospect of early exit from No 10
Johnson raises the prospect of an early retirement from No.10 1657716880
The first votes for a new prime minister
The first MPs have voted in the Tory leadership showdown in the first ballot of the race to replace Boris Johnson, with Rishi Sunak the first candidate to vote. Tory MPs began queuing just before 1.30pm to vote, queuing in a file as they waited to enter the Commons committee room. Mr. Sunak, a front-runner in the contest who is expected to clear the first ballot with ease, smiled and appeared relaxed as he waited in line.
