Summary

  • Boris Johnson wins first ballot by MPs, getting 114 votes

  • Three contenders - Esther McVey, Andrea Leadsom and Mark Harper - eliminated

  • Jeremy Hunt comes second, followed by Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart

  • The seven remaining candidates go through to more votes next week

Live Reporting

Jennifer Scott and Richard Morris

  1. How does the process work?

    Candidates wanting to be chosen for the leadership have to first secure more than eight MPs' signatures for their candidacy.

    Those who are successful will then get through the first ballot of voting by Tory MPs on Thursday to start reducing the contenders down. There'll then be a succession of further votes and each time, the challenger with the fewest will be removed.

    The final two candidates will then face a postal ballot of Conservative Party members to decide their future.

    In the next six weeks, the party will have a new leader, and the country a new prime minister. Expect the next occupant of Number 10 to be in office in the week beginning 22 July.

  2. Good morning

    Tory leadership contendersAFP/Getty Images

    From top left, clockwise, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Boris Johnson, Andrea Leadsom and Sajid Javid

    Welcome to our live page for the latest developments in the Conservative Party leadership contest.

    Candidates wanting the job - and that of prime minister, of course - have until 5pm today to secure nominations from their colleagues.