And then there were eight …

Outsider falls before the first hurdle as race to become Conservative Party leader gets underway

EIGHT candidates will battle it out to become the next Conservative Party leader – and our new Prime Minister – as voting gets under way this afternoon.

Each of the candidates was able to get the minimum twenty signatures required to take part in the contest and the competition now gets under way in earnest.

One hopeful who didn’t make it was little-known backbencher Rehman Chishti, who failed to get the required number of nominations.

Cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Grant Shapps chose not to stand, instead attending Rishi Sanak’s campaign launch. Other big names not putting themselves forward to be the next Prime Minister are Priti Patel, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid, although all three will be keen to influence the outcome of the contest.

The candidates are: Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat and Nadhim Zahawi.

They now have to secure 30 votes in the first round today to stay in the race. Voting opens at 1.30pm with the result expected just after 5pm.

Further votes will then take place over the coming days to whittle the number of candidates down to a final two. Conservative Party members across the country will then choose between this final pair over the summerand the winner is expected to be announced on 5 September before parliament resumes after the summer recess.

Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak seems certain to be one of the final two, but at this stage it is far from clear who his final opponent is going to be.

5pm UPDATE:

Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and current Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi have been eliminated after today’s vote.

The six remaining candidates will do it all again tomorrow.

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