Politics

Next Tory leader: Who has declared leadership challenge to become next Prime Minister?


Theresa May resigned last week, in an emotional address to the nation in which she said it was a “matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit”. The race for Number 10 will officially begin once the Prime Minister steps down as Tory leader, and the deadline for candidates is in the week commencing June 10. But those eyeing the premiership have already begun jostling for the part, and some are emerging as favourites within the party and beyond.

Who’s officially declared they’re in the running?

While the new Prime Minister will be implemented by the end of July, candidates are already emerging.

This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as more candidates declare.

But here are the 12 names who have confirmed their intention to run, in order of the number of supporters they have in the party, as provided by conservativehome.com

Each candidate needs at least two nominations from supporters within the party – read more about how a Tory leadership challenge works here.

Next Tory leader

Next Tory leader: Here are the 11 names who have confirmed their intention to run (Image: Express)

1: JEREMY HUNT – 29 supporters

Jeremy Hunt replaced Boris Johnson as foreign secretary in July and has urged the Conservative membership to set aside their differences over Brexit and unite against a common foe – the EU.

But Mr Hunt voted to remain in the EU in the referendum, and said on Tuesday that his party will be committing “political suicide” if it tries to push through a no-deal Brexit.

He served six years as Britain’s health minister, a role that has made him unpopular with many voters who work in or rely on the NHS.

Betfair Exchange bookmakers give him a 14/1 shot at the top job.

2: BORIS JOHNSON – 28 supporters

The bookies favourite to take the helm with odds of 2/1, Boris Johnson is favoured by Brexiteers.

He set out his pitch to the membership in a speech at the party’s annual conference in October.

He called on the party to return to its traditional values of low tax and strong policing.

The controversial former mayor of London has long coveted the top job.

He announced he would be standing, saying: “Of course I’m going to go for it.”

Next Tory leader

Next Tory leader: Theresa May resigned last week, in an emotional address to the nation (Image: Getty)

3: MICHAEL GOVE – 27 supporters

Michael Gove was one of the highest-profile Brexit campaigners during the 2016 referendum.

He quickly lost out to Mrs May in the race to replace David Cameron, who resigned the day after losing the referendum.

Now seen as one of the most effective members of Cabinet in bringing forward new policies, the environment secretary has become a surprise ally toMrs May and has backed her Brexit strategy.

Mr Gove teamed up with Boris Johnson during the 2016 Brexit campaign only to pull his support for Mr Johnson’s subsequent leadership bid at the last moment and run himself.

Betfair gives him 11/2 odds of taking the role.

4: DOMINIC RAAB – 22 supporters

Brexiteer Dominic Raab quit as Theresa May’s Brexit minister last year in protest at her draft exit agreement saying it did not match the promises the Conservative Party made in the 2017 election.

He had served only five months as head of the Brexit department.

A former lawyer and staunch Brexiteer who was calling for Britain to leave the EU long before the referendum, Mr Raab, who has been tipped for high office since being elected as an MP in 2010, became the eighth MP to confirm he would stand.

He was appointed as a justice minister in 2015 but was sacked by Theresa May when she became Prime Minister the following year.

Betfair gives him 5/1 odds of winning.

5: SAJID JAVID – 17 supporters

The Home Secretary backed remain in the referendum but with a “heavy heart and no enthusiasm” and has never hidden his Euroscepticism.

A former protege of George Osborne at the Treasury, he has been an MP since 2010 and has previously served as business secretary, culture secretary and communities and local government secretary.

He was the ninth Tory to announce his candidacy for the leadership and Betfair gives him 34/1 odds.

6: MATT HANCOCK – 11 supporters

The MP for West Suffolk was promoted to health secretary after only a few months as culture secretary, when Jeremy Hunt became foreign secretary after Boris Johnson’s resignation.

He campaigned for Remain in the EU referendum but is now seen as an ally by Brexiteer ministers, recently urging MPs to back the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

Mr Hancock has 43/1 odds from Betfair

7: ESTHER MCVEY – 6 supporters

A Brexit supporter and former TV presenter, Esther McVey quit as work and pensions secretary last November in protest at Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement with the EU.

Asked on Talk Radio whether she would run for leader, the MP for Tatton, in Cheshire, said: “I’ve always said quite clearly that if I got enough support from colleagues then, yes, I would, and now people have come forward and I have that support.”

She was the first to confirm she would stand for the party leadership, and is given 84/1 odds from Betfair.

Next Tory leader

Next Tory leader: Theresa May will step down as Tory leader on June 7, opening up the race (Image: Getty)

8: MARK HARPER – 4 supporters

Conservative MP Mark Harper has become the 12th candidate to join the race, and with four supporters he’s in eighth in line of Tory support. 

The former chief whip told the Daily Telegraph he was “quite happy to acknowledge that in this contest I am the underdog”.

Mr Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean, was a minister in the Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions during the 2010-2015 coalition government.

He resigned as an immigration minister in 2014 after it emerged that his cleaner did not have permission to work in the UK.

He has said that if he becomes Tory leader he will recruit a fresh crop of cabinet ministers to thrash out a new Brexit deal.

9: KIT MALTHOUSE – 4 supporters

Housing minister Kit Malthouse threw his hat into the ring for the Tory leadership this week.

The MP for North West Hampshire, widely credited as the brains behind the ‘Malthouse compromise’ which sought to develop a pro- and anti-EU friendly compromise on Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement, said there was a “yearning for change”.

He’s got 54/1 odds from Betfair.

10: JAMES CLEVERLY – 3 supporters

The most recent MP to join the list, set out his case to become leader in an open letter and said he had backed Brexit from the beginning.

The MP for Braintree in Essex spoke about the need to unite the party, arguing: “We cannot bring the country back together unless the party of government is united, and the party cannot unite if it is led from its fringes.”

Next Tory leader

Next Tory leader: The new Prime Minister will be implemented by the end of July (Image: Getty)

11: RORY STEWART – 3 supporters

The former prisons minister was appointed international development secretary in early May, in a reshuffle that followed Gavin Williamson’s sacking.

Although once a Remain supporter, he said he accepted Brexit but wanted “to reach out to Remain voters as well to bring this country together again”.

He’s got 20/1 odds of winning.

12: ANDREA LEADSOM – 2 supporters

The former Commons leader made headlines last week when she decisively quit the cabinet as Mrs May tried to win last gasp support for her withdrawal bill.

She said she no longer believed the government’s approach would deliver Brexit.

She had to abandon a leadership bid in 2016 after widely criticised comments about rival Theresa May.

But she still has support on the right of the party and Betfair giver her 12/1 odds of taking the job.

This list will be updated as support, odds and candidates change.

READ MORE: European elections results: Winners and losers – Eurosceptic and Green parties SURGE



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