The race to find Boris Johnson's successor moved a step forward this evening, as Tory MPs whittled candidates down from eight to six.
Rishi Sunak, Penny Morduant, Liz Truss, Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman and Tom Tugendhat all received the required 30 backers to make it through to the next round of voting - due to take place tomorrow.
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt are both out of the race after only receiving 25 and 18 votes respectively.
Read more: Boris Johnson's rise and fall as he steps down as Prime Minister
The ballot comes after intense campaigning in Westminster, which saw Downing Street accused of running a smear campaign against Mr Sunak.
Boris Johnson's press secretary insisted on Wednesday that the Prime Minister is “staying neutral” despite his remaining loyalists throwing their support behind Ms Truss.
Mr Sunak, who currently commands the most public declaration of support from Tory MPs, faced claims from the Foreign Secretary’s supporters of implementing “economically damaging” policies.
They have also attacked his campaign with claims it has engaged in “dirty tricks” to manipulate the Tory leadership race that will select the next prime minister.
Asked if No 10 is involved in a “stop Sunak” operation ahead of the first round of voting closing on Wednesday, Mr Johnson’s press secretary said: “No.”
Meanwhile, trade minister Penny Mordaunt officially launched her campaign by telling colleagues who had been fearful of losing their seats under Mr Johnson’s leadership that she is their “best shot” at winning the next election.
“I’m the candidate that Labour fear the most – and they’re right to,” she told Conservatives at Westminster’s Cinnamon Club.
Seen as one of the frontrunners in the race, Ms Mordaunt declined to describe Mr Johnson as a good Prime Minister, instead thanking him for delivering Brexit.
Ms Mordaunt insisted she is “very different” from her would-be predecessor but indicated she would not call an early general election to win her own mandate if she entered No 10.
The naval reservist and former defence secretary pledged to return to traditional Conservative values of “low tax, small state and personal responsibility”.
She said she stands by the Conservative manifesto commitment to meet the Nato target for defence spending of 2% of GDP and increase it by 0.5% above inflation every year.
Candidates will continue to be whittled down over this week and then the final two will have the summer to convince Conservative members that they're the right choice.
Mr Johnson is set to formally tender his resignation to the Queen on September 6 to make way for his successor.
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