Leadsom officially launches Tory leadership bid

Boris Johnson has congratulated Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom, saying that as a result of two women competing for the top title, the Conservatives are "the most progressive party in Britain".

He also said Leadsom's position in particular was a "stunning achievement".

His full statement:

Video report by ITV News Anglia's political correspondent Emma Hutchinson.

South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom will battle it out with Theresa May to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.

Michael Gove was eliminated after receiving 46 votes. May had 199, and Leadsom 84 votes. Tory MPs had voted throughout the day in a secret ballot that ended at 4pm.

Following the vote, Leadsom returned to her constituency, delighted by the news.

The two will now fight for support from around 150,000 party members, not just Tory MPs as in previous rounds of voting.

The new leader will be announced and take up office on September 9.

The winner will become the UK's second ever female prime minister.

Northamptonshire South MP Andrea Leadsom has won the backing of former London mayor Boris Johnson in her bid to become the new leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.

The Energy Minister launched her campaign on Monday and has the support of around 40 of her fellow Tory MPs.

The first round of voting is taking place with a result expected by 7pm on Tuesday. There are five candidates standing - Theresa May, Michael Gove, Stephen Crabb and Liam Fox as well as Andrea Leadsom - and the one with the least votes will be eliminated.

Boris Johnson was expected to join the race but he dropped out after Michael Gove decided to stand. Theresa Mayis currently the front-runner with the backing of 120 MPs including 24 from the Anglia region.

Further rounds of voting will reduce the number of candidates to two with the winner then elected by the Conservative Party membership over the summer.

• Who Anglia region MPs are backing to be the next Prime Minister

Andrea Leadsom, the Northamptonshire MP who is bidding to become the next Prime Minister, said Britain voting to leave the EU was a great moment in history and equated it with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Mrs Leadsom, who has been South Northamptonshire since 2010, officially launched her campaign to become the leader of the Conservative Party.

She talked of the opportunities afforded by Brexit, announced that she was a champion of social justice, and, echoing Mrs Thatcher, said as a woman, she knew how to succeed in a man's world.

• Who Conservative MPs in the Anglia region are backing to be PM

She also pledged "billions of pounds more" will be invested in the NHS, and also said that "the richest people of Britain are not my priority", saying she speaks for people who feel the economy doesn't work for them.

Ending her speech, she said: "I believe this nation can become the greatest nation on earth."

Click below to watch a report by ITV News Anglia Political Correspondent Emma Hutchinson

The South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom has launched her bid to leader the Conservative party and become the next Prime Minister.

Mrs Leadsom, was elected an MP only six years ago. She currently serves as Energy Minister but is not in the Cabinet. She was a Treasury minister under George Osborne.

Andrea Leadsom was the leading member of the Leave campaign during the EU referendum appearing on television debates alongside Boris Johnson.

Mrs Leadsom ruled out calling an early General Election should she become Prime Minister despite her opposition to the HS2 rail project which will run close to her constituency.

Andrea Leadsom, who is running for leader of the Conservative Party, has said she is sad that prominent 'Leave' campaigner Boris Johnson is not also taking part in the contest.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ms Leadsom added: "At the end of the day it's an enormous responsibility and everybody has to make the decision for themselves."

Many Conservative MPs from this region who backed Boris Johnson to become the next Prime Minister are shocked by his decision not to run in the Conservative Leadership contest.

So far the current Home Secretary Theresa May has the bulk of support from the East.

Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Political correspondent Emma Hutchinson for the latest on the battle for the Conservative leadership.

• Who are our MPs backing to be the next PM?

Three MPs in our region have come forward to back Theresa May to be the next Conservative Party Leader and Prime Minister.

Suffolk MPs Therese Coffey and James Cartlidge, and Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen have declared that they'll be backing Home Secretary Theresa May. She announced her intention to run in the Conservative leadership contest today.

But Braintree MP James Cleverley, who was part of Boris Johnson's campaign team, said he was disappointed that the bookie's favourite had decided to pull out.

Click below to watch a short clip.