Next prime minister latest: Penny Mordaunt claims to have 90 Tory MPs’ support as deadline looms
Mark Francois #MarkFrancois
Rishi Sunak will be the next Tory leader and prime minister after Penny Mordaunt announced her last minute withdrawal from the contest.
In a statement issued on Twitter just before 2pm, Ms Mordaunt said “it is clear that colleagues feel we need certainty today” and that “as a result, we have now chosen our next Prime Minister”.
She said: “This decision is an historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party. Rishi has my full support.”
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, then announced at 2pm that he had only received “one valid nomination” and it was from Mr Sunak. He said: “Rishi Sunak is therefore elected as leader of the Conservative Party.”
Ms Mordaunt failed to secure the support of the 100 Tory MPs she needed to make it onto the ballot and force a head-to-head vote among Conservative Party members. Her allies said it was “touch and go” and “we were close”.
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02:17 PM Scottish Tory leader: ‘All our focus must be on bringing the nation together’
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “I’d like to congratulate Rishi Sunak on becoming the new Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister, and look forward to working with him for the good of Scotland and the whole United Kingdom.
“Our country – like others around the world – faces tough economic challenges. Against that backdrop, it’s important that we have someone at the helm with a proven track record in running the nation’s finances, who can provide economic stability and reassurance to the markets.
“Recent weeks have been difficult and unsettling for both the Conservative Party and, more importantly, the country. Now all our focus must be on bringing the nation together and navigating the tough economic conditions we face.”
02:11 PM ‘It was touch and go’
Bob Seely, a Tory MP and backer of Penny Mordaunt, said the Commons Leader was “close” to securing the 100 Tory MPs she needed to make it onto the leadership ballot.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “It was touch and go. I don’t know the numbers but I know that we were close.”
02:09 PM SNP: ‘No one voted for this’
SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford said: “The Tories cannot be allowed to impose a third Prime Minister without a general election – voters must get a say and the SNP is determined to ensure they do.
“The Tory government had no mandate to trash the UK economy with its disastrous budget. And it has no mandate to install yet another leader who will impose devastating austerity cuts – making households pay through their teeth for Tory mistakes.
“No one voted for this. The only reason the Tories are running scared of democracy is because they fear the verdict of the people.”
02:08 PM Lib Dems: Tories have ‘installed another out-of-touch PM’
Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, claimed the Tories have installed “another out-of-touch Prime Minister”.
He said: “The Conservative Party has trashed the British economy, pushed local health services to the brink, and added hundreds of pounds to people’s monthly mortgage payments. Now Conservative MPs have installed another out-of-touch Prime Minister with no plan to repair the damage and without giving the British people a say.
“Rishi Sunak has shown time and time again that he doesn’t understand the challenges facing struggling families and pensioners – whether it’s paying their heating bills this winter or waiting weeks to see a GP or dentist.
“We will now see more of the same, as Conservative MPs plot and squabble amongst themselves while completely ignoring the huge challenges facing the country. The only way to end the chaos is a General Election now.”
02:05 PM Official: Rishi Sunak new Tory leader
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, has confirmed that Rishi Sunak is the new leader of the Conservative Party.
He said: “Good afternoon, as returning officer in the leadership election I can confirm that we have received one valid nomination.
“Rishi Sunak is therefore elected as leader of the Conservative Party.”
Mr Sunak will deliver an address in Parliament at 2.30pm.
02:00 PM Penny Mordaunt pulls out, Rishi Sunak next PM 01:57 PM Penny Mordaunt ‘concedes defeat’
A senior Tory source has just told Christopher Hope that Penny Mordaunt has conceded defeat in the Tory leadership contest.
01:47 PM Team Rishi claims some Boris backers had privately backed Sunak
Members of Rishi Sunak’s campaign team have said that over the weekend they managed to convince MPs who had publicly declared their support for Boris Johnson to come over to the former chancellor’s side, writes Camilla Turner.
“There are people who feel they owe their career to Boris and are terrified of losing their seats,” said one supporter of Mr Sunak. “They felt they had to come out publicly for him but privately said they would vote for Rishi.”
Aside from the proposer and the seconder, no other names on the nomination papers are made public – meaning that an MP could publicly state they are behind one candidate then vote for another without anyone knowing.
01:46 PM Does Penny have the numbers?
There is only one question on people’s lips in Westminster this lunchtime: Does Penny Mordaunt have the numbers?
Her campaign has claimed that the Commons Leader is now above 90 MPs, potentially agonisingly close to the 100 she needs.
We only have about 15 minutes left to wait until we find out if she has made it or if Rishi Sunak will be crowned leader without the need for a vote of party members.
01:27 PM Mordaunt backer withdraws nomination
This could be crucial – Tory MP George Freeman has just withdrawn his nomination for Penny Mordaunt and is now backing Rishi Sunak, writes Christopher Hope.
Numbers are so tight that this could make all the difference in whether Ms Mordaunt gets more than 100 MPs’ support and the chance to take the fight to the members.
Mr Freeman, a former Government minister, disclosed his decision in a private WhatsApp message to Tory MPs just after 1pm.
01:19 PM Sturgeon hits out over Tory ‘horror show’
Nicola Sturgeon has labelled the latest Tory leadership contest a “horror show” as she repeated an SNP call for a general election.
She said: “It is a horror show that is deeply and profoundly concerning. The Scottish Government is still dealing in our budget with the legacy of the last round of Tory austerity. We’re dealing with the impact of soaring inflation on our budget.
“Our public services cannot withstand another wave of Tory austerity. We need an alternative and my message is it doesn’t have to be like this. This is all happening because of Brexit and because of Tory economic mismanagement.”
She added: “Of course, there should be a general election. The governance of any country cannot simply be a revolving door that one party gets to pick time and time again who occupies the highest office in the land.”
01:14 PM Boris backer insists ex-PM did have enough support to run
Nigel Adams, a prominent supporter of Boris Johnson, said the former prime minister did have the backing required to run before his decision to pull out of the contest.
“This morning I met Bob Blackman MP, joint secretary of the 1922 Committee,” former minister Mr Adams said.
“He has independently verified the nomination paperwork and confirmed to me that Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP was above the threshold required to stand for the Conservative Party leadership in this leadership election.
“Therefore, Mr Johnson could have proceeded to the ballot had he chosen to do so.”
01:05 PM Pictured: Broadcasters pack No 10 ahead of Tory leadership deadline 
There is now just one hour to go until the Tory leadership ballot deadline.
Rishi Sunak has comfortably surpassed the 100 MP threshold – he has 185 public backers.
But Penny Mordaunt has just 27.
12:53 PM Exclusive: Senior roles offered to ERG in scramble for support
Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt have both offered senior Government roles to figures from the European Research Group in the final dash for votes in the Tory leadership campaign, writes Christopher Hope.
The six “officers” of the ERG met with Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt this morning and extracted from both contenders guarantees of giving senior ministerial roles to ERG members.
In a statement, Mark Francois, the ERG chairman, told the Telegraph: “Both have stressed to us their determination to unite the Conservative party, including in the formation and composition of any Government they lead.”
He added: “Both potential candidates have given us very strong assurances regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol, up to and including their willingness if necessary to invoke the Parliament Act to place it in statute.”
12:46 PM Mordaunt ally urges her to drop out
George Freeman, a Tory MP who is a close ally of Penny Mordaunt, has called on the Commons Leader to step aside in the leadership race and back Rishi Sunak.
He tweeted:
12:41 PM Reader question: Should there be a general election?
Should there be a general election? If so, why? If not, why not?
The Telegraph would love to hear your opinion on whether there should be a general election. You can submit your thoughts using the form below:
12:30 PM IDS backs Rishi Sunak
Another major moment in the Tory leadership race as Sir Iain Duncan Smith declares his support for Rishi Sunak.
The former leader of the Conservative Party said that he had concluded “senior experience at the heart of government matters most”.
Here is his tweet:
12:20 PM Rishi Sunak ‘did not commit to Truss defence pledge’
Mark Francois, the chairman of the European Research Group of Tory MPs, said Rishi Sunak did not commit to a promise made by Liz Truss to increase defending spending to three per cent of GDP by 2030.
He said: “We asked both candidates when we saw them about defence. The answer to your question is, we benchmark that against three per cent, and the answer is that Rishi Sunak did not commit to three percent but said he was determined if he were prime minister that he would spend whatever is necessary to keep the country safe.
“Penny Mordaunt went slightly further. She said that her aim was to get to three per cent on defence but when economic conditions would allow.”
12:11 PM ERG ‘unable to collectively endorse either candidate’
Mark Francois, the chairman of the European Research Group of Tory MPs, said the group was not able to agree on a collective endorsement for one candidate.
Speaking after an ERG meeting this morning, he said: “On behalf of the European Research Group I would like to make literally a brief statement. We have had a meeting this morning to discuss the issue of the Conservative leadership.
“We believe that we have one and potentially two extremely strong options to be leader of the Conservative Party but as a group we were unable to collectively endorse either candidate.”
Mr Francois said the ERG has agreed that whoever wins the leadership contest the group will “unite behind them and assist them in seeking to unite the Conservative Party”.
12:08 PM ERG ‘split’
Camilla Tominey, The Telegraph’s associate editor, is waiting for the ERG’s statement outside Committee Room Nine in the House of Commons but the group appears split on whether the vote should go to the membership or not.
12:05 PM Tory MP backs Penny Mordaunt
Lee Anderson, the MP for Ashfield who was backing Boris Johnson, has come out for Penny Mordaunt in the past few minutes.
Mr Anderson said Ms Mordaunt was a “strong-willed politician” with the “respect of the whole of Parliament”, adding he wanted to ensure the Tory membership gets to choose the next prime minister.
“Members are the lifeblood of any political party,” he wrote. “They pay their membership, deliver leaflets, raise funds and do all the hard graft with little reward. It’s only right they have a say in who their leader is.”
12:04 PM No 10: Liz Truss will give full support to successor
Liz Truss is expected to give her full support to her successor as prime minister, Downing Street has indicated.
Asked if she would be supporting the new occupant of No 10, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “I am confident that she would.”
The spokesman confirmed that it would be for the new prime minister to decide whether to proceed with the medium-term fiscal plan setting out how the Government will get the public finances back on track on October 31 as planned.
“The Treasury continues to work towards having a package ready for the 31st should a new prime minister wish it to proceed on that date,” the spokesman said.
11:58 AM Reader poll: Should there be a general election? 11:53 AM Sunak allies believe Penny Mordaunt will not ‘make the cut’
Rishi Sunak’s allies are now working on the assumption that Penny Mordaunt “isn’t going to make the cut” and it’s a “done deal”, writes Camilla Turner.
But the former chancellor’s campaign team are still ringing round MPs to “show as big a surge of support as possible”.
“We are still chasing numbers – just to make double sure, belt and braces,” one of Mr Sunak’s backers told The Telegraph.
“We are speaking to the undeclared and those who were Boris and haven’t signalled which way they are going. It’s quite important if it is to be a coronation that he can show he has the overwhelming support of the parliamentary party, to show the membership it is pretty cut and dry.”
11:43 AM Splits emerge in Team Mordaunt
There are splits within Penny Mordaunt’s campaign over whether she should stand down and fold in behind Rishi Sunak or plough ahead, The Telegraph understands.
Some of the former defence secretary’s supporters believe she should strike a deal with her rival for the sake of party unity and to avoid a divisive leadership battle.
They believe that in return for her backing the ex-chancellor would offer her a top Cabinet job such as deputy prime minister or foreign secretary.
But Ms Mordaunt is being urged by Andrea Leadsom, one of her closest allies, to fight on by pulling together an “anti-Rishi, pro Boris rump” of MPs and going to the members. A campaign source said that she had already hit 70 backers last night and that they expect up to 50 supporters of Mr Johnson to switch over.
11:41 AM Team Mordaunt claims to have 90 backers
A source close to Penny Mordaunt’s leadership campaign said the Commons Leader is now closing in on the 100 names she needs to get onto the ballot paper.
The source said: “We have now passed 90. For the sake of the Party, it’s important our members have their say.”
11:39 AM ‘Country has to come before party’
Alex Chalk, the Tory MP for Cheltenham who is a supporter of Rishi Sunak, was optimistic about the former chancellor’s chances of being the next PM, telling Sky News: “It feels like there is a remorseless progress here which, as I say, is exciting not just for the Conservative Party but for the country.
“There is this unification happening and I think that is going to continue.”
Asked if he believed it is important that Tory members get a vote on the next leader, he said: “What I think is most important is country has to come before party.”
11:29 AM Sources claim Team Mordaunt ‘now at 80 MPs’
Christopher Hope, The Telegraph’s associate editor, has news on Penny Mordaunt’s dash for votes:
Sources close to Penny Mordaunt’s team tell me they are increasingly confident that more than 100 MPs will back her to be Tory leader.
Two insiders tell me they are nearly there, with two and a half hours to go. One suggests the figure is around 80 MPs, adding it is “50-50” if she can get to the 100 required.
But one former Cabinet minister is dismissive. “It sounds like a ‘Boris 100’,” he tells me.
If Team Mordaunt gets to the 100, it will mean that the party’s members should have the final say over who is the next Conservative leader.
11:20 AM Rishi Sunak backed by more than half of Tory MPs
Rishi Sunak has now secured the backing of more than half of Tory MPs.
The former chancellor is now at 179 backers. Penny Mordaunt is on 26.
11:16 AM IDS addresses ERG
Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is currently addressing a meeting of the European Research Group (ERG) in Committee Room Nine, writes Camilla Tominey.
The group, which is full of Boris Johnson supporters, are deciding whether to back Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt in the leadership race.
Chairman Mark Francois is due to make a statement at noon.
11:12 AM Brandon Lewis backs Rishi Sunak 11:11 AM Mordaunt supporter says some backers are ‘lying low’
Penny Mordaunt’s supporters are still insisting she can reach 100 backers by 2pm, writes Tony Diver.
One MP supporter told The Telegraph that many of her backers were still “lying low” but that it had been “quite disappointing” that a number of high profile Boris supporters had switched sides to back Rishi Sunak this morning.
The supporter, who said they were in touch with the campaign team, said it was important to have a “clean break” with Boris Johnson’s previous administration and argued that Mr Sunak is “tarnished” by association.
11:10 AM Penny Mordaunt promises Tory MPs a ‘fresh start’
Penny Mordaunt has told Tory MPs that “polling shows that I’m the one that can deliver a fresh start for our party”.
Some people have pointed out that Ms Mordaunt appears to have got her sums slightly wrong – perhaps a rounding error?
11:07 AM ‘We still think Penny will be our unity candidate’
With just three hours to go before the 2pm deadline for securing 100 nominations, Penny Mordaunt’s supporters are upping the ante in their bid to win over wavering MPs, writes Camilla Turner.
In a direct pitch to Red Wall MPs who had backed Boris Johnson, Ms Mordaunt’s campaign are arguing that she is the person “most likely to keep Red Wallers in their seat after the general election”.
Bob Seely MP, one of Ms Mordaunt’s key allies, told The Telegraph: “All the polling suggests Penny has reach in traditional Conservative areas and also in non-traditional Conservative areas. If colleagues want to continue with the huge privilege of serving their constituents, they need to back Penny.
“I want to see all my colleagues back in parliament after the next general election – if they want that too, they need to back Penny. We are in it to win it, we still think Penny will be our unity candidate.”
11:04 AM Mims Davies becomes Rishi backer 177 11:00 AM Rishi Sunak almost at halfway mark
Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, is now just three MPs short of hitting the magic number of 179.
He currently has 176 public backers. The 179 figure represents just over half of the parliamentary party.
10:44 AM Tory MP says members must be involved in leadership decision
Michael Fabricant, who until yesterday was backing Boris Johnson and has now switched over to Penny Mordaunt’s camp, urged other colleagues to follow him across, writes Camilla Turner.
He argued that one reason for backing the former defence minister in the leadership race is to ensure Tory party members are given the opportunity to vote on the next prime minister – and avoid a Rishi Sunak coronation.
Mr Fabricant told The Telegraph: “I hope that other colleagues will back Penny because not only do I think she would make an admirable Prime Minister, I believe it is important that we include the membership in the decision as to whom should be our next Prime Minister. Once that process has been completed we should then all support whoever is elected.”
10:41 AM Simon Clarke backs Rishi Sunak
Simon Clarke, the Levelling Up Secretary, has declared he is now backing Rishi Sunak having previously backed Boris Johnson.
Here is his tweet:
10:40 AM ERG meeting now underway
The European Research Group is meeting to decide whether to back Rishi Sunak as the next prime minister, writes Camilla Tominey, The Telegraph’s associate editor, who is outside Committee Room Nine in the House of Commons.
Mark Francois, the ERG chairman, said before the 10.30am gathering: “This is a plenary meeting of the European Research Group. And the purpose of the meeting is to decide what position if any, the group is going to take on the leadership question.”
Mr Francois said a statement would be released at the end of the meeting at 12pm.
It is perhaps also worth mentioning that there is hardly anyone in the ERG meeting- that suggests that members of this once influential backbench group are voting their own way.
10:35 AM Penny Mordaunt allies still ‘confident’ of making the ballot
Penny Mordaunt’s supporters remain buoyant this morning about their chances of reaching 100 nominations by 2pm, writes Camilla Turner.
“It’s going really well now that Boris has dropped out, there are 100 to play for and we are still confident we are going to make the ballot,” one of her key allies said.
“I rang five of Boris’ supporters yesterday and two came on board straight away. I hope the others will come on board too – and it’s not just Boris backers, it’s everyone. We are doing lots of ringing round. Penny is the unifying candidate.”
10:28 AM Senior Tories visit Rishi Sunak’s campaign office
Several prominent Conservative MPs visited Rishi Sunak’s campaign headquarters in Westminster this morning.
Kemi Badenoch, the International Trade Secretary, and Gavin Williamson, the former education secretary, both stopped off at Mr Sunak’s office.
Mr Sunak arrived at his office at about 8.30am before departing shortly afterwards.
10:25 AM ERG set to meet in Parliament
The European Research Group of Tory MPs is meeting at 10.30am in a committee room in the House of Commons to discuss the leadership contest.
A number of Tory MPs who are members of the ERG have already said they are backing Rishi Sunak.
But it will be interesting to see if the group issues a statement after the meeting indicating mass support for one candidate, whoever it may be.
10:15 AM Labour leader will not attend World Cup
Sir Keir Starmer said he will not attend the World Cup in Qatar, and neither will any of his senior colleagues, because of the country’s human rights record.
Asked if he would go to the final if England reached it, he told LBC Radio: “No, I wouldn’t. I’d love to, but I think that the human rights record is such that I wouldn’t go, and that would be the position of the Labour Party.”
Pressed on whether he would attend any of the games, he said: “No.”
10:14 AM Starmer: Not much between Labour and Tories on immigration
Sir Keir Starmer has said there is “not a great deal” between Labour and the Tories on the issue of immigration when it comes to their preference for a “points-based” system. But he said Labour would scrap the Government’s controversial Rwanda scheme.
He told LBC Radio: “Now we don’t have free movement any more, then you either have a pure numbers game or you have a points-based system that says ‘well, for certain types of jobs, certain types of roles here, you would get a number of points’. I think that makes sense.
“So, in that sense, not a great deal between the major parties on immigration.”
10:12 AM Sir Keir Starmer ‘once got detention for fighting’
Sir Keir Starmer has recalled that he once got a detention for fighting in school.
He told LBC Radio his former classmate Lord Cooper was “not completely wrong” to say he was “a bit of a lad”.
He admitted he once got a detention for fighting, but said he could not remember who was involved.
“There was bits and bobs going on, yeah,” he added.
10:08 AM Team Mordaunt insist she is ‘in it to win it’
Team Mordaunt has insisted the Commons Leader is “getting the numbers” to make it onto the ballot paper and she is “in it to win it”.
A campaign spokeswoman made clear that Ms Mordaunt is not dropping out of the race, saying: “Penny is speaking to colleagues from across the party. She’s getting the numbers and she’s in it to win it.
“Penny has always been a campaigner – she took her seat from Labour and she’s fought for it ever since. The party needs a fresh start to ensure it wins the next general election and holds the seats it gained in 2019.”
10:06 AM Sir Robert Buckland backs Rishi Sunak
Sir Robert Buckland, the Welsh Secretary, has announced he is backing Rishi Sunak. He had initially endorsed Mr Sunak during the summer contest before switching to back Liz Truss.
09:59 AM George Osborne: ‘Morduant should drop out’ 09:52 AM Starmer rules out UK rejoining EU
Sir Keir Starmer said “it’s a straight no from me” on the question of whether Britain would rejoin the European Union under Labour.
Asked during an LBC Radio phone-in if it is time for a change of heart again, he said: “It’s a straight no from me, we’re not going back into the EU. That isn’t a position of my party, that isn’t what an incoming Labour government would do.
“We do think that we should make Brexit work. I think all that’s happened so far is we’ve got Brexit done in the sense that we’re out of the EU. I think we’ve got to make it work now.”
09:51 AM Sir Keir Starmer criticises Boris Johnson
Sir Keir Starmer said he put his head in his hands at the prospect of Boris Johnson running for the Tory leadership.
He told LBC Radio his “first sentiment” on hearing Mr Johnson had ruled himself out of the race for No 10 was that “he didn’t have the numbers” required to secure a spot on the Tory ballot.
“But when he first said that he was going to run, and everybody was sort of rallying around, I did put my head in my hands and think, so, really, we’re going to go from the prime minister who’s just crashed the economy… back to the guy that only… months ago, most of us were saying was unfit for office,” he said.
“It was never going to work, I don’t think.”
He added: “The less time now spent on this sort of chaotic, ridiculous circus at the top of the Tory party, the better.”
09:33 AM The magic number for Rishi Sunak is 179
There are 357 Conservative MPs.
Rishi Sunak currently has the public endorsements of 160 Tory MPs.
If he was able to secure the backing of more than half of his colleagues it would be a major moment and deliver a fresh blow to Penny Mordaunt’s campaign.
That means the magic number for the former chancellor is 179 – just over half. Can he get there before 2pm?
09:28 AM George Osborne: ‘Sunak will be PM by the end of the day’ 09:20 AM Nadine Dorries: This is not ‘the end’ of Boris Johnson
Nadine Dorries has suggested it is not “the end of Boris Johnson” after the former prime minister ruled himself out of the race for No 10.
The ex-Cabinet minister said “hours of conversations” took place between Mr Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt to agree on a unified solution, but the remaining candidates “declined to come together”, choosing to “go on their own path”.
She told Times Radio that Johnson supporters are “very keen that we have unity in the party” and will be “very keen to back a candidate to make that happen”.
Ms Dorries, a staunch Johnson ally, suggested Ms Mordaunt is not a serious contender, adding: “I don’t think, when you’re talking about Penny Mordaunt, you’re asking anyone to step back. I mean, Penny hasn’t really held a serious job in government. The fact that Penny asked Boris Johnson to step back for her, I thought was quite interesting.”
She said the ex-PM stepped back “for the right reasons”, insisting “that doesn’t mean it’s the end of Boris Johnson”.
09:14 AM Analysis: Penny Mordaunt in desperate need of momentum shift
The announcements this morning by Priti Patel and Michael Gove that they are now backing Rishi Sunak represent a hammer blow to Penny Mordaunt’s campaign.
She is in desperate need of a momentum shift as she scrambles to secure the support of 100 MPs to make it onto the ballot at 2pm.
There is a growing feeling in Westminster that Ms Mordaunt needs to announce some big endorsements over the next couple of hours if she is to make this a genuine contest.
If she is unable to show some forward progress the calls for her to drop out are likely to grow.
08:52 AM Michael Gove backs Rishi Sunak 08:48 AM Priti Patel backs Rishi Sunak
Priti Patel, the former home secretary, has announced that she is now supporting Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership contest. She had been backing Boris Johnson before his decision to withdraw from the contest.
08:44 AM Mordaunt supporter: Still ‘all to play for’
Penny Mordaunt supporter Damian Collins said it will be “all to play for” in the Conservative leadership contest if there is a ballot of party members.
The tech and digital economy minister claimed “a lot of people” had “instantly” switched their allegiance from Boris Johnson to Ms Mordaunt after the former prime minister ruled himself out of the race last night.
“So I think it is all to play for today in terms of whether Penny can get the 100 votes she needs to make sure there is a members ballot,” Mr Collins told Times Radio.
He added: “I think it would be all to play for if there was a ballot of the members and some of the polling that has been released shows… there’s a high degree of trust for Penny.”
08:42 AM ‘No prospect’ of early election under Penny Mordaunt
Andrea Leadsom has said there is “no prospect” of an early general election under Penny Mordaunt.
The former Cabinet minister, who is backing the Commons Leader in the race for No 10, told Sky News: “Absolutely there is no prospect of an early general election under a Penny Mordaunt leadership.
“You know, we have a mandate from 2019 from the people to fulfil the promises that we made to them then.”
08:40 AM Mordaunt supporter ‘absolutely confident’ of hitting 100 MP threshold
Andrea Leadsom, a supporter of Penny Mordaunt and a former Cabinet minister, said she believes Ms Mordaunt will make it onto the ballot paper.
Asked if the Commons Leader has the numbers, Ms Leadsom told Sky News: “I am absolutely confident, yes, and I will be getting an update on that very soon.”
08:38 AM Would Rishi Sunak re-impose the ban on fracking?
Grant Shapps’ comment this morning that Rishi Sunak is “standing on” the Tories’ 2019 general election manifesto raises some interesting policy questions (see the post below at 08.20).
For example, on the issue of fracking, the manifesto stated: “We will not support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely.”
Liz Truss lifted the ban on fracking. So what will Mr Sunak do if he becomes PM? Any decision to re-impose the ban would spark a furious backlash among some Tory MPs but failing to do so would prompt accusations of failing to stick to the promises made in 2019.
As with many issues, whoever becomes PM faces incredibly tough decisions in the weeks ahead.
08:30 AM Pictured: Rishi Sunak leaves his London home this morning 
Tobias Ellwood, the Tory chairman of the Defence Select Committee, said the Conservative Party has become too “tribal”.
Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “There is an elephant in the room as to why we are here. Why is our party so tribal today? You know, why are there these big divisions and blocks of voters and why have we lost the art to sort of disagree and be able to mend quicker?
“There are huge divisions that, let’s face it, let’s mention that word, Brexit, they go back to Brexit, about Covid different views on that, successive leadership elections have pulled our party apart. And of course, there’s geographic divisions and so forth.”
08:20 AM Rishi Sunak ‘standing on 2019 Tory manifesto’
Grant Shapps said Rishi Sunak is standing for Tory leader on the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto.
The Home Secretary told Sky News: “We elect a party and we elect individuals as members of that party, and the 2019 manifesto is actually the thing – the document, if you like – that Rishi is standing on.”
He acknowledged it is “unusual” to have four prime ministers in five years but said: “One of those prime ministers was the one who was elected with that manifesto, of course.
“The individuals who were elected, and I was on the ballot paper, are still the same individuals who are in place and there’s a five-year programme, and we will be delivering that manifesto.”
08:17 AM What are the scenarios for today?
There are two options for how today could play out:
08:12 AM Labour repeats call for general election
Labour’s shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry said the Tories lost their “last desperate reason” for avoiding a general election when Boris Johnson declared he would not run again for leader.
Asked for her reaction to the former prime minister pulling out of a race he never officially entered, she told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I thought that that was their last desperate reason for not having a general election.
“So a large number of them were saying: ‘We’ve got to support Boris Johnson because he has a democratic mandate, because he stood for the general election, he was the one who led – and so if we get him back, then we have an argument for not having a general election’.
“Well, now he’s stepped out, we should have a general election. We should have had a general election anyway.”
08:03 AM ‘Boris has been let down once again’
Sir Christopher Chope, a Tory MP who was backing Boris Johnson, said he now believes a general election is “essentially the only answer”.
He said that winning a mandate from the nation is the only way for the next Tory leader to heal divisions within the Conservative Party as he warned without one things will “go from bad to worse” and there will be “continuing rebellions as we try to change policies and so on”.
Sir Christopher told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he is “very pessimistic, I am very angry and I feel that Boris has been let down once again and undermined by parliamentary colleagues”.
07:59 AM Tory MP calls for general election
Sir Christopher Chope, a Tory MP who was backing Boris Johnson, insisted the former PM “did have enough supporters” to make it onto the ballot paper.
He said that he believes there should now be a general election because the Conservative Party is “ungovernable”.
Asked why, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Because we have got a parliamentary party which is completely riven and it is ungovernable. In a sense that is the reason why Boris has pulled out because obviously Rishi Sunak wasn’t prepared to guarantee him his support in the event he was elected as leader by the party and the country.
“Unless we can have somebody as our leader in Parliament who commands the support and respect of the parliamentary party we are essentially ungovernable.”
07:43 AM Tory MPs say members must get a vote
If Rishi Sunak is the only candidate to hit the 100 MP threshold this afternoon then he will become Tory leader without a vote of the Tory grassroots.
There is a growing backlash among some Conservative MPs at the idea that Tory members will not get a say on who will lead the party after Liz Truss.
John Redwood, the former Cabinet minister, said:
And here is Mark Jenkinson, another Tory MP, echoing a similar sentiment:
07:36 AM Grant Shapps: ‘Rishi doesn’t think that it is in the bag’
Grant Shapps, the Home Secretary and a supporter of Rishi Sunak, said Boris Johnson has done the “right thing” by pulling out of the Tory leadership race and it was “sensible under the circumstances”.
Mr Shapps was asked if Penny Mordaunt should now step aside and clear a path for Mr Sunak to be Tory leader.
He said “that is up to Penny Mordaunt and her supporters” and pointed out that Mr Sunak has the support of a “large number of Conservative MPs”.
He told Sky News: “Rishi doesn’t think that it is in the bag, he is speaking to colleagues this morning, he is working very hard to attract those supporters who were perhaps with Boris Johnson previously.”
07:19 AM Mordaunt ally ‘confident’ she will hit 100 threshold
Damian Green, the former first secretary of state and a supporter of Penny Mordaunt, said Team Penny is “confident” of hitting the 100 threshold.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are confident that Penny will get above the 100 mark.”
He added: “There are a lot of people who weren’t declaring publicly what they were doing, indeed, Penny’s numbers I know are well above the published figure already even without any of Boris’s supporters…”
Mr Green would not say a specific number but said it is “way, way above the published number” and “we are confident of getting to 100 before the deadline of 2 o’clock”.
07:11 AM Jeremy Hunt backs Rishi Sunak
Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, last night declared his support for Rishi Sunak – the latest in a series of high profile backers for the former occupant of No 11 Downing Street.
Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Hunt said:
“Acting in the national interest, even when unpopular, is why people support the Conservatives and the only way for us to earn back the trust we have squandered in recent months.
“With Rishi Sunak, we have someone who, in our best traditions, will turn the page on what went wrong, take decisions in the national interest and rebuild the extraordinary potential of our economy.
“Voters of all parties knows this perfectly well. They are hoping and praying we choose wisely. We must not let them down.”
You can read the piece in full here.
07:06 AM Penny Mordaunt: Boris has ‘put country before party’ 07:05 AM Rishi Sunak praises Boris Johnson after ex-PM quits the race 07:04 AM Boris Johnson’s statement in full
Boris Johnson stunned Westminster at about 9pm last night as he announced he was withdrawing from the Tory leadership contest. Here is his full statement:
In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament. I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago – and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.
A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country. I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.
There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday. But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.
And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this. Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds. I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.
07:02 AM Penny Mordaunt insists she will not bow out
Penny Mordaunt’s team made clear late last night that she is still running to be the next Tory leader following the decision by Boris Johnson to cancel his campaign.
A source from Team Mordaunt said: “Penny is still running to be the Leader of the Conservative Party. Penny is the unifying candidate who is most likely to keep the wings of the Conservative Party together and polling shows that she is the most likely candidate to hold onto the seats the Conservative Party gained in 2019.
“Ed Balls, Shadow Cabinet ministers and Labour advisers have all said Penny is the candidate Keir Starmer fears the most.”
07:00 AM The numbers as things stand at 7am
Rishi Sunak has secured the backing of 145 Tory MPs – far above the 100 he needs to make it onto the ballot paper.
Penny Mordaunt, the Commons Leader and the only other candidate in the running following the exit of Boris Johnson, has the public support of 26 MPs.
Ms Mordaunt may well have some private declarations as well but it looks like she is facing a major uphill battle over the next seven hours if she is to force a head-to-head vote among Tory members.
06:16 AM Sunak trying to shed his ‘slippery’ image
No one could deny that those who were backing Boris Johnson in the leadership contest know exactly who and what they were voting for. The same cannot necessarily be said for Rishi Sunak, a man whose career to date has been riddled with contradictions.
He was, for example, a committed Brexiteer who ignored warnings from David Cameron that backing Leave would end his career – yet he surrounds himself with Remainers and has failed to champion the Brexit dividend with anything approaching gusto.
He portrays himself as a free marketeer, yet he is best known as the author of the biggest state intervention in history. His supporters say he is a man of the people, while detractors characterise him as Davos Man. The list goes on.
READ MORE: Rishi Sunak: A man riddled with contradictions trying to shed his ‘slippery’ image
06:02 AM Mordaunt in race against time
Penny Mordaunt was in a race against time to secure 100 Tory MPs backers on Sunday night after Boris Johnson pulled out of the Tory leadership contest.
The Mordaunt campaign insisted their candidate would stay in the race, hoping to pick up some of Mr Johnson’s supporters as they push to reach the 100 MP threshold by Monday’s 2pm deadline.
But some of the former prime minister’s backers appeared demoralised, with one prominent supporter telling The Telegraph they would not switch to Ms Mordaunt.
The political challenge for Ms Mordaunt is that much of Mr Johnson’s support base is on the party’s Right, while she has traditionally been placed on the moderate wing.
Allies of Ms Mordaunt, the House of Commons Leader, were upbeat about her chances of a last-minute dash towards the threshold, with one saying “it’s looking good”.
READ MORE: Penny Mordaunt in race against time to secure 100 backers