Eight Tory MPs progress to next round in race to replace Boris Johnson
Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen has the latest developments on the Conservative leadership race as it is revealed who the successful contenders are who will go through to a vote on Wednesday
Eight candidates have made it through to the next round in the race to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Each candidate was required to receive 20 nominations to be Conservative Party leader from Tory MPs, in order to get their name on the ballot paper for the competition's first vote.
Sajid Javid is the competition's most significant drop-out, with the ex-health secretary announcing his departure from the contest just before today's results were announced.
In a statement, he said: "I look forward to seeing the debate unfold and to see colleagues working together as a united Conservative Party once the leadership election is concluded."
Who got through?
Rishi Sunak
Penny Mordaunt
Tom Tugendhat
Nadhim Zahawi
Liz Truss
Jeremy Hunt
Suella Braverman
Kemi Badenoch
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak guaranteed his place on Wednesday's ballot paper long before his rivals after launching his campaign early and gaining more than double the 20 nominations needed to progress.
It appears Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, on the other hand, accepted early on that he would not receive enough backing to reach the first round of voting and dropped out early this morning.
Trade minister Penny Mordaunt and backbencher Tom Tugendhat also secured their place on the ballot paper well ahead of time, as did Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt also made it through but reports say he had been struggling to get enough nominations and managed to scrape in late on.
Mr Hunt has denied speculation that Mr Sunak’s campaign engineered MPs’ votes to help him clear the first hurdle of the Tory leadership contest.
It came after Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries accused Mr Sunak’s team of “dirty tricks” after claims that one of his supporters – ex-chief whip Gavin Williamson – had been trying to “syphon off” votes for Mr Hunt so he would make it to the final run-off with Mr Sunak. “This is dirty tricks/a stitch up/dark arts. Take your pick. Team Rishi want the candidate they know they can definitely beat in the final two and that is Jeremy Hunt,” she tweeted.
Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch and Attorney General Suella Braverman also made it through to the next round, as did Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.
Ms Braverman, appearing at the Centre for Social Justice hustings, told the PA news agency she was “honoured” to move to the next stage of the Conservative Party contest. She said she was looking forward to the process playing out.
Rehman Chishti, a newly appointed Foreign Office minister who is largely unknown outside of Westminster, dropped out after failing to secure a single publicly-declared nomination.
He tweeted: "I will not be taking my campaign any further for the leadership of our party @Conservatives as I have not been able to secure the necessary parliamentary backing".
In a resignation letter posted online, the MP for Gillingham and Rainham also wrote: "My campaign was a bottom-up campaign with very few resources."
What now?
The competition's first official vote takes place on Wednesday. Any contender who does not get at least 30 supporters will be forced to drop out.
If all candidates receive 30 votes, then the MP with the least support will be eliminated.
A second ballot will follow on Thursday with further ballots to be held next week until the list of candidates is reduced to a final two – who will then go forward into a postal ballot of party members.
The final two will then spend the summer campaigning around the country before a winner is announced on September 5.
The developments came as Labour accused the government of “running scared” after it refused to allow parliamentary time for a Commons vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson and his administration.
This could have triggered a general election if the Tories had lost it.