The race for Number 10 is heating up as several prominent Tories have thrown their hats in the ring for the top job.
Here are the main runners and riders, where they stand on Brexit and what they have had to say about their bid to take on the mantle of Conservative leader.
Declared:
– Boris Johnson
The former foreign secretary and London mayor is considered by most as the favourite to win the leadership race (Ladbrokes 11/10).
Since then, Mr Johnson has burnished his Leave credentials by walking out of Cabinet alongside David Davis in July last year, and has also cleared the decks on a notoriously complicated personal life.
In a speech in Switzerland on Friday, he was deemed to have vowed to take Britain out of the EU on October 31, “deal or no deal”, if he is made PM.
Backers include Johnny Mercer, Karl McCartney, and Nadine Dorries.
On last night’s @Peston show. I’m not good enough to be PM yet. I’ll be with @BorisJohnson, campaigning together, trying to unite the party and the Nation, and govern from the centre in a modern, compassionate, optimistic manner ??? pic.twitter.com/R2Ln179GG7
— Johnny Mercer MP (@JohnnyMercerUK) May 23, 2019
– Dominic Raab
The former Brexit secretary formally entered the Tory leadership race over the weekend with a call for a “new direction” (Coral 5/1).
The MP for Esher and Walton added: “The country now feels stuck in the mud, humiliated by Brussels and incapable of finding a way forward.
“The Prime Minister has announced her resignation. It’s time for a new direction.”
Mr Raab was a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign and Mrs May appointed him as her second Brexit secretary in July, but he quit the role in November, saying he could not support her eventual deal.
Helen Grant has announced her support.
.@DominicRaab has an inspiring vision for a fairer Britain and I think he is undoubtedly the best person to unite the Conservative Party and our Country. That is why I am proud to be supporting him to become our next Prime Minister. #ReadyforRaab pic.twitter.com/v7vFVWcGnZ
— Helen Grant MP (@HelenGrantMP) May 24, 2019
– Jeremy Hunt
The Foreign Secretary campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum and would be a moderate candidate on Brexit in the leadership election (Ladbrokes 12/1).
Mr Hunt claimed his business background would help resolve Brexit, telling the Sunday Times: “If I was prime minister, I’d be the first prime minister in living memory who has been an entrepreneur by background.
“Doing deals is my bread and butter as someone who has set up their own business.”
David Morris has said he is supporting Mr Hunt.
ICYMI I was on @BBCBreakfast this morning at 7.14am outlining why I am supporting Jeremy Hunt to be the next Prime Minister.https://t.co/vTNsZbW9ud
— David Morris MP (@davidmorrisml) May 25, 2019
– Rory Stewart
The new International Development Secretary launched his leadership bid in an interview with The Spectator last month (Coral 12/1).
In what is likely to be seen by many as a dig at Mr Johnson, the 46-year-old MP for Penrith and The Border tweeted: “The star name will not always be the best choice. There may be times when Jiminy Cricket would make a better leader than Pinocchio.”
– Esther McVey
Former work and pensions secretary Ester McVey announced her leadership bid as she hosted an LBC call-in on Friday (Ladbrokes 66/1).
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the 51-year-old said: “This country needs a genuinely bold, new approach. So we must now leave the EU on October 31 with a clean break.
“It’s time to recapture that optimism which brought about the referendum result, provide the country with a clear direction and deliver the clean Brexit people voted for,” she added.
Backers include Pauline Latham and Ben Bradley.
Mixed feelings over Theresa May’s announcement. She thought she was doing right for the country but could not get deal through and was let down by intransigent European negotiators. We need a leader who can unite our party and the country. I believe that is @EstherMcVey1
— Pauline Latham (@Pauline_Latham) May 24, 2019
– Matt Hancock
Health Secretary Matt Hancock waited until Saturday morning to announce that he was in the running (Betfred 25/1).
He said he would take a different approach to try to get Commons support for a Brexit deal than the one Theresa May used.
He said: “She didn’t start by levelling with people about the trade-offs.
“I think it is much, much easier to bring people together behind a proposal if you are straightforward in advance.”
He told the BBC that a no-deal Brexit “simply won’t be allowed by Parliament”.
Backers include Maggie Throup and Bim Afolami.
I’m now backing @MattHancock to be our next Prime Minister https://t.co/JnYhpgpj8E
— Maggie Throup MP (@maggie_erewash) May 25, 2019
– Andrea Leadsom
Former leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, formally entered the race over the weekend, telling the Sunday Times that, if she is elected PM, the UK would quit the EU in October with or without a deal (Betfred 20/1).
The MP for South Northamptonshire said: “To succeed in a negotiation you have to be prepared to walk away.”
She has previously described the UK’s continued membership of the EU as “disgusting” and claimed that a Eurosceptic prime minister would have delivered Brexit already.
– Michael Gove
The Environment Secretary announced on Sunday that he is running to be next prime minister (Ladbrokes 8/1).
Mr Gove is posing as a self-styled “unity candidate”.
“I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist Party, ready to deliver Brexit, and ready to lead this great country,” he said.
His intervention is likely to cause concern to current front-runner Boris Johnson, after a spectacular falling-out between the two former allies in the 2016 leadership contest helped destroy both men’s chances of the top job.
Backers include Nick Gibb, Kevin Hollinrake, John Stevenson, Sir Edward Leigh, Bob Seely.
I‘m backing @michaelgove for the leadership of the Conservative Party. I have to support someone who has long-term, proven ministerial experience in getting things done, who voted Leave in the Referendum & who has a chance of uniting the Party & thereby delivering Brexit
— Sir Edward Leigh MP (@EdwardLeighMP) May 25, 2019
– Sajid Javid
Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced his leadership bid in a video he tweeted on Monday (Ladbrokes odds 25/1).
Highlighting the Tories’ poor performance in the European elections, Mr Javid said his party “must get on and deliver Brexit.”
“It’s time to rebuild trust, find unity and create new opportunities across the UK,” he said.
I’m standing to be the next leader of @Conservatives & Prime Minister of our great country. We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK. First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit. Join @TeamSaj to help me do just that #TeamSaj pic.twitter.com/qfH1lLNusQ
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 27, 2019
Mr Javid had previously signalled his leadership ambitions by arguing that he wanted the Tories to be the party of social mobility, in an interview with The Spectator.
The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he was a managing director at Deutsche Bank before becoming an MP in 2010.
Robert Halfon and John Glen have announced their support.
We need a Leader who is electable, can unify the country, and who embodies the Conservative spirit of the ladder of opportunity. That’s why I’m backing @sajidjavid for the job. pic.twitter.com/dOT2t7TvQ7
— Robert Halfon MP #WorkingHard4Harlow (@halfon4harlowMP) May 24, 2019
Considering bids:
– Sir Graham Brady
Sir Graham Brady quit as the leader of the 1922 Committee – a position which gave him a significant role in the Prime Minister’s departure – on Friday in order to consider a leadership bid (Ladbrokes 33/1).
The 52-year-old told the Sunday Times the only way to regain people’s trust is by leaving the EU by October 31.
– Penny Mordaunt
Penny Mordaunt became the UK’s first female Defence Secretary at the start of the month, following the sacking of Gavin Williamson (Bet365 22/1).
MP for Portsmouth North since 2010, she supported Mrs Leadsom in the 2016 Conservative leadership contest.
