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Leadsom withdraws from Conservative leadership race

South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom has announced that she is pulling out of the Conservative leadership race.

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Andrea Leadsom 'to quit race' to replace David Cameron as PM

Andrea Leadsom. Credit: PA Images

Conservative leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom is expected to make a statement at 12.15pm amid speculation that she may be poised to pull out of the race to replace David Cameron as prime minister.

If the energy minister confirms that she is planning to quit the battle, it would leave Home Secretary Theresa May as the only candidate - potentially clearing the way for her to be named Tory leader and PM as early as today.

However, it was not immediately clear whether Conservative rules would require the party's 1922 Committee to seek another contender to appear on the ballot paper alongside Mrs May for a planned vote of the party's 150,000 members.

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