Politics

Tory leadership race: Another contender to be knocked out as rivals prepare for third elimination round



Another Tory leadership candidate will today be eliminated from the contest after Dominic Raab was knocked out in the latest ballot and the remaining five faced off in live TV debate.

Conservative MPs will decide which of the five remaining contenders – Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Rory Stewart and Sajid Javid – deserves their support in a third elimination round.

Mr Raab was the latest to be forced out on Tuesday and frontrunner Mr Johnson edged closer to Number 10. But the runners will continue to be whittled down until only a final pair remains for the party membership to choose between.

Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson topped yesterday’s ballot, confirming his status as the favourite to replace Theresa May in Downing Street, and Mr Hunt, Mr Gove, Mr Javid and Mr Stewart also received enough votes to progress into the next round.

Conservative Party leadership contenders engage in a live television debate (AFP/Getty Images)

However Mr Raab was knocked out after receiving 30 votes, three less than the minimum required, and Mr Javid survived by a single vote.

Marking another overwhelming victory for Mr Johnson, the front runner secured 126 votes – 80 more than his nearest rival Mr Hunt on 46. 

Michael Gove was in third place on 41 votes, while Rory Stewart was on 37.

Mr Johnson came under fire from his Tory leadership rivals during last night’s head-to-head on BBC One for promising to reject a delay to Brexit as the contenders went head-to-head in a live TV debate.

The ex-London mayor warned of the “catastrophic loss of confidence in politics” that would come if the government failed to exit the European Union by the current October 31 deadline.

Speaking alongside his fellow candidates Tuesday night, he said the public are “getting thoroughly fed up” with delays to the process.

Leadership front runner: Boris Johnson pictured during the television debate (EPA)

He added: “Unless we get out on October 31, I think that we will all start to pay a really serious price.”

Mr Stewart said it would not be possible to negotiate a new deal by October 31, leaving the existing Withdrawal Agreement as the only way out of the EU. “I would say to all these people on the platform who voted for the deal: take the shock of the European election, let’s get on with it, let’s vote it through, let’s get it done,” he told the programme.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt appear on BBC’s TV debate with candidates vying to replace Theresa May (REUTERS)

Mr Stewart said he would rule out a no-deal Brexit entirely. He said: “In the end, we’re in a room with a door and the door is called Parliament, and I am the only person here trying to find the key to the door.

“Everybody else is staring at the wall shouting ‘believe in Britain’.”

Home Secretary Mr Javid agreed with Mr Johnson that it was “fundamental” to get out of the EU by the October deadline and honour the result of the referendum. He said: “We have failed to act on those instructions and it is fundamental that it has to be by October 31.”

He said: “We have got to learn from our mistakes. One of the mistakes we have made so far is by having this flexible deadline. If you don’t have a deadline, you don’t concentrate minds, and that also includes the minds of our European friends.”

But Mr Hunt and Michael Gove said a delay beyond October 31 may be necessary if a deal was within reach.

Mr Hunt said he would walk away without a deal if there was no prospect of agreement by October 31. But “if we were nearly there, then I would take a bit longer,” he added.

Mr Gove said he would be prepared to allow “extra time” if a deal was close. He said he was “upset” and “angry” that Brexit had not yet happened. “Because I started this, I will finish it,” he added.



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