Final two candidates in Tory leadership race to be decided
The final two candidates in the Tory leadership race will be decided on Thursday, amid accusations of backstabbing and vote-rigging.
Conservative MPs will take part in a ballot on who will be in the run-off contest that grass roots members will vote on.
Liam Fox was eliminated from the race on Tuesday before Stephen Crabb also dropped out, announcing his support for Theresa May.
Justice Secretary Michael Gove's team has insisted he didn't know about a plot to get supporters of Home Secretary Theresa May to switch sides in order to knock Andrea Leadsom out of the running.
The Justice Secretary's campaign manager Nick Boles was forced into a humiliating apology after being caught urging pro-May MPs to vote tactically to ensure Mr Gove made the final two.
Former leader Mr Duncan Smith warned that Tory MPs "do not want to spend the whole time stabbing each other in the back".
A group of around 30 MPs have signed a letter written by former Tory chairman Grant Shapps, which calls on the party to give members three weeks to pick a leader after the third place candidate is eliminated on Thursday.
The Home Secretary is clear favourite to be one of the two contenders chosen by MPs to go forward to a vote of around 150,000 Conservative members across the country to elect a new leader - and prime minister - on September 9.