Defence Secretary Ben Wallace rules himself out of the running for the leadership of the Conservative Party
Wallace says he is concentrating on his current job and hopes the Tories "swiftly return to focusing on the issues that we are all elected to address"
A No 10 source accuses leadership contender Rishi Sunak of having a "short memory" after Boris Johnson "backed him to the hilt".
The ex-chancellor has launched his campaign, saying "someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions"
Former Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has become the latest Conservative MP to enter the Tory leadership race
Attorney General Suella Braverman and Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, have also said they are running
Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is also expected to launch a bid, as are Liz Truss, Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi
It may be the calm after the storm of a frantic few days in Westminster but we can expect further developments today as more Conservative MPs emerge to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Stay with us throughout the day for the latest developments.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, PA MediaWe're pausing our live coverage shortly. Thank you for joining us as we've followed the dramatic events unfolding in Westminster.
Here's what's happened so far:
Our coverage today was delivered by Marita Moloney, Dulcie Lee, Chas Geiger, Dulcie Lee, James Harness, Catherine Evans, Jeremy Gahagan, Alex Therrien, Nathan Williams and Aoife Walsh.
Have a good evening - we'll be back with more updates soon.
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, PA MediaThe 1922 Committee, chaired by Sir Graham Brady, was originally formed in 1923
Barry Tuck asks: Why should we accept a leader appointed by the 1922's grey suits?
The 1922 Committee is the group that represents backbench Tory MPs. They will set the rules for the leadership contest, but the new leader will ultimately be appointed by the Conservative party membership, thought to be around 180,000 people.
Their vote is likely to come after Tory MPs have whittled the numbers down to two candidates.
The wider public will get their say at the next general election, due to be held by January 2025 at the latest.
The 1922 Committee: What is it and what powers does it have?
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, ReutersJohn Starbuck asks: Can a previous prime minister, like Theresa May, stand to be prime minister again?
If she wanted to, yes!
She’d have to run to be the leader of the Conservative Party again, and win the upcoming contest.
It would be an unusual move, and I think it’s highly unlikely, but there’s no rule to stop her from having another go at the top job.
He dramatically resigned as chancellor on Tuesday, now he's launched his leadership bid for the top job. What do we know about him?
Family and education
Sunak's parents came to the UK from east Africa and are of Indian origin. He was born in Southampton in 1980. With origins elsewhere, he says this identity matters to him.
"I'd be at the temple at the weekend - I'm a Hindu - but I'd also be at [Southampton Football Club] the Saints game as well on a Saturday - you do everything, you do both", he told the BBC in 2019.
Sunak attended the exclusive private school Winchester College - and worked as a waiter at a Southampton curry house during his summer holidays. He went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford.
While studying for an MBA at Stanford University he met his wife Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Narayana Murthy, Indian billionaire and co-founder of IT services giant Infosys.
Political career
Sunak campaigned for Leave in the 2016 EU referendum, saying he believed it would make Britain 'freer, fairer and more prosperous.
He became a junior minister in former prime minister Theresa May's government, and then in July 2019 was promoted by the new PM Boris Johnson to chief secretary to the Treasury.
When Sajid Javid quit as chancellor in February 2020, Johnson promoted Sunak to the post.
Within weeks the pandemic and its lockdowns began. He pledged to do "whatever it takes" to help people through the pandemic - his personal poll ratings went through the roof.
However, Sunak has had to deal with the fallout of being fined by police for breaking lockdown rules in Downing Street in June 2020.
In April this year, the tax affairs of his heiress wife Akshata Murty were placed in the spotlight. She later announced she would start paying UK tax on her overseas earnings to relieve political pressure on her husband.
Read more about Rishi Sunak's background here.
Downing Street has announced the appointments of several government whips and further junior ministerial roles:
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, PA MediaMark Bolney in West Sussex asks: Are the temporary ministerial placements going to get severance pay when they have to resign, when a new leader is elected?
For this, we go to the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.
The act states that they should get a quarter of their annual ministerial salary upon leaving their role.
If a minister ceases to hold office, and is not re-appointed to government within three weeks, they are entitled to severance pay.
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, UK ParliamentJohn Q asks: Is Boris Johnson going to be answering questions at PMQs next week?
Unless there's a new Prime Minister, yes.
Some voices, such as former PM Sir John Major, are calling for Johnson to step down and for a short-term replacement to be installed.
Under his proposals, the interim leader would stay in place while the leadership contest takes place.
But this doesn’t look likely at the moment. Barring any big developments, it will be Boris Johnson taking questions at PMQs next week.
Image source, Getty ImagesAppointed chancellor in July 2020, Rishi Sunak gained popularity when he introduced the furlough scheme during the first Covid lockdown.
He was soon being touted as the leading contender to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and prime minister.
But his reputation was dented by a controversy over his wife's tax affairs and being fined for breaching lockdown rules during the pandemic.
Since then, his wife has started to pay UK tax on overseas earnings.
And Sunak distanced himself from Downing Street's troubles by resigning last week.
As he launches his leadership bid, has he done enough to win the votes of enough of his fellow Tories?
A few more MPs are throwing their support behind Rishi Sunak.
Former Tory Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden - who resigned in June following two by-election losses for the party to Labour and the Liberal Democrats - says Sunak is the "best person to lead our country and unquestionably the best person to beat Labour".
Liam Fox - a senior Tory and former defence secretary - says Sunak's "experience, integrity and vision" is what makes the former chancellor the best candidate.
MP Mel Stride, who chairs the Commons Treasury Committee, has also pledged his support.
"Only Rishi has the proven track record as an economic heavyweight to deliver," Stride says.
Chris Mason
Political editor
Image source, PA MediaThis is the week we found out who will lead the Labour Party into the next general election. And who won't lead the Conservatives into it.
For two months, the work of detectives in Durham hit the pause button on Sir Keir Starmer's leadership of Labour, after he decided he would resign if he was fined, consistent with his demand that it should have meant the same for Boris Johnson.
Tonight, Sir Keir is relieved.
But in the time it took for the police to reach a decision that allows him to draw the strongest contrast with Boris Johnson, Johnson has resigned. And having defined himself in opposition to the current prime minister, he now faces the moving target of a range of possible future ones.
Whoever replaces Boris Johnson may not present Sir Keir with quite the same scope for critique as he's had in recent months. Those Conservative wannabes are now beginning their charm offensives in earnest.
Prepare yourself for a blizzard of smiles, promises and visions from Starmer and a flotilla of Conservatives, as the political landscape for the next general election is re-shaped.
If you're just joining us, or catching up on another busy day in politics, here's the latest:
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Shelley Duck asks: If Dominic Raab is our Deputy Prime Minister, and thus there to step in and cover, why am I not hearing Mr Raab's name as a potential next PM?
The simple answer is that there's not a vacancy: Boris Johnson is still prime minister.
As his deputy prime minister, Raab has stood in for Johnson in the past - for example, doing PMQs when Johnson’s been out of the country - but that doesn’t automatically make him PM when Boris Johnson announced plans to step down.
This isn't unusual. David Cameron and Theresa May both continued to serve as prime minister after announcing they were going.
Image source, .David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, PA MediaAlena Purssord asks: How do we know those appointed have the right kind of skills for the job? In real life, this can be quite a vigorous process. So why in government do jobs appear to be 'handed' to members of the party in power?
Government ministers are appointed by the prime minister and serve under them. It's true that it's a different process to most roles, but it's not a typical job.
While the process of being appointed may seem unusually quick, losing your job can be equally swift. As Michael Gove found out when Boris Johnson sacked him from the cabinet this week.
Rishi Sunak can win the next general election and has proven he can rebuild the economy, says one of his supporters, Conservative MP Jacob Young.
Asked if Sunak's wealth, was an issue, Young told the BBC that support Sunak had offered while chancellor, such as the furlough scheme, showed he is committed to "helping people who need help the most".
"He's the best person to get us through this current economic crisis," he added.
Sunak, who was a partner at two hedge funds before entering politics, and his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of an Indian IT billionaire, have a joint £730m fortune, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
As we've reported, Commons leader Mark Spencer has backed Rishi Sunak to be the next Conservative party leader.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Spencer says Sunak has "got the vision that we need to pull the country together and to get us moving in the right direction".
Sunak has the "vision and the ability to take us through dark economic times" and "knows how to manage the British economy in the right direction", Spencer adds.
Ione Wells
Political Correspondent
Rishi Sunak's leadership election video is typically slick and glossy.
His brand was already well built - as his profile rocketed during the Covid pandemic - with a strong team behind him, which is one challenge for his competitors to rival.
Issues that knocked his brand were reports about his wife's previous non-dom tax status, and his critics using his wealth to brand him "out of touch" with a cost of living crisis.
But like Sajid Javid, Steve Baker and Nadhim Zahawi - who are widely tipped to run - Sunak is emphasising his humble background.
He describes his grandmother emigrating to Britain and his mother working hard to become a pharmacist so she and his NHS GP father could give their children opportunities.
It's this tale of opportunity - and his experience running the economy - that will play a strong part in his leadership campaign.
We've received confirmation of more appointments:
Heather Wheeler came under fire, when she was last in the government, for describing Birmingham and Blackpool as "godawful" places. The MP for South Derbyshire later apologised , externalfor the remarks.
We'll bring you more details of any further appointments when they are announced.
We've just heard that three more MPs have come out in support of Rishi Sunak's leadership bid.
Claire Coutinho (MP for East Surrey), Angela Richardson (Guildford's MP) and Paul Maynard (MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys) have pledged their support.
David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent
Image source, ReutersColin Fuller from Cheltenham asks: Could Boris Johnson get himself nominated to be leader, hoping to get to the last two and appeal to his loyalist members?
That would be a controversial move! But, alas, it doesn’t look possible.
Under current Conservative leadership rules, a leader who resigns is not eligible to run in the subsequent leadership contest.
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