Tories face a 'furious fight' for their next leader after Sunak steps down

Now Rishi Sunak has resigned who will step up to be Tory leader? ITV News' Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports

Rishi Sunak was almost unrecognisable on the stage at his count.

He looked drawn and devastated as he waited for the result next to the colourful characters standing against him.

Count Binface and the YouTuber Niko Omilana had a brief moment in the spotlight whilst Sunak's time at the top of British politics came to a crashing end.

"A difficult day after a number of difficult days," he said in his resignation speech.

And the difficult days are going to roll on as his party begins an almighty tussle over what the result should teach them and which direction it should now take.

The central question: How do they deal with the rise of Reform?

During the campaign, many thought Sunak should have taken on Nigel Farage much more aggressively, rather than trying to tack right to persuade - in vain as it turned out - previous Tory voters not to leave.

That debate will now be played out with even greater fury, with those on the right of the party arguing for Reform to be embraced, and others fighting for a return to the centre.

Who will win the argument depends on who wins the immediate race to take over from Sunak as leader.

Of the front runners, some didn't make it through the night - the likes of Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps, no longer MPs let alone potential leaders.

Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel and Robert Jenrick from the right of the party are all still standing.

Of the remaining centrists, Tom Tugendhat and possibly James Cleverly and Victoria Atkins are being touted as contenders.

The former chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who kept his seat but has ruled himself out of another go at the leadership, appealed for his party to take time to reflect.

It looks far more like it's going to be a furious fight.

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