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Theresa May gains strong support from Conservative MPs

Theresa May has won the backing of four times as many MPs as any other candidate for the Conservative Party leadership, a survey by ITV News shows.

Of 139 MPs who have spoken to ITV News, 82 said they would be supporting the Home Secretary.

Earlier, Michael Gove declared himself "the candidate for change" as he set out his pitch to become Conservative leader and prime minister.

Gove said after last week's referendum vote for Brexit, the new prime minister must be someone who fought on the Leave side - effectively ruling out Mrs May, who was part of the Remain campaign, even though her contributions to it were notably low-key.

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Stephen Crabb launches Tory leadership bid

Stephen Crabb launched his Tory leadership bid at a news conference in London on Wednesday. Credit: Reuters

Stephen Crabb has launched his bid to become the next leader of the Conservative party.

The Work and Pensions Secretary, who backed staying in the European Union during the referendum campaign, said the "three driving principles" for the party's EU negotiations based on the message from last week's Leave vote should be:

  • Controlling immigration, which he vowed to make "a red line"
  • To achieve as close an economic relation with EU as we have now
  • The end of the supremacy of EU law

Mr Crabb said "no one is under any illusions" about the scale of the "challenge" to control immigration and maintain the same level of economic integration with the EU.

Speaking of his background, the Pembrokeshire MP said he has "worked every week from the age of 12" and paid his way through university working on building sites.

He added that he was brought up to understand that "nothing gets handed to you on a plate".

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Theresa May gains strong support from Conservative MPs

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