CHANCELLOR Nadhim Zahawi and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt are the first two MPs to fall in the race to become the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister.
Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak topped the poll with 88 votes, Penny Mordaunt came second with 67 votes ahead of Liz Truss in third with 50.
Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat and Suella Braverman were the remaining three candidates to reach the 30 MP threshold to continue with 40, 37 and 32 votes respectively.
Conservative MPs will vote again tomorrow (Thursday) with the candidate polling the lowest number of votes being eliminated.
If needed, MPs will take part in ‘successive ballots’ from Monday (July 18) until there are only two candidates left when Parliament rises for the summer next Thursday (July 21).
Conservative Party members will then have the opportunity to question the candidates at a series of regional hustings before voting for their preferred candidate.
The new Conservative Party leader will be announced on September 5 and become Prime Minister following an audience Her Majesty the Queen.
The results in full:
Rishi Sunak – 88
Penny Mordaunt – 67
Liz Truss – 50
Kemi Badenoch – 40
Tom Tugendhat – 37
Suella Braverman – 32
OUT
Nadhim Zahawi – 25
Jeremy Hunt – 18
