SECOND ROUND OF VOTING TAKES PLACE TODAY
RISHI Sunak has emerged as the front-runner in the race to become the next Prime Minister. The former Chancellor was the clear winner following the first round of voting by MPs yesterday.
Sunak topped the poll with 88 votes, Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt was a strong second on 67 and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who launches her campaign today, third on 50.
New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt were eliminated from the race, both failing to attract suffiicient support.
First Round Voting was:
Rishi Sunak 88
Penny Mordaunt 67
Liz Truss 50
Kemi Badenoch 40
Tom Tugendhat 37
Suella Braverman 32
Nadhim Zahawi 25*
Jeremy Hunt 18*
Eliminated *
The six remaining hopefuls – Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Tom Tugendhat – face another round of voting today when another candidate will be eliminated.
The field is expected to be narrowed down to two by the end of next week, then over the summer around 160,000 Conservative Party members will have their say on who they want as their next party leader – and our prime minister.
The result will be announced on 5 September.