Kemi Badenoch has been eliminated from the race to become the next prime minister, as the field narrows to three.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak is still in the lead, while the gap is narrowing between foreign secretary Liz Truss and trade minister Penny Mordaunt. Badenoch, a former levelling up minister, has refused to back any of the remaining candidates and told her supporters to “follow your heart and do what is best for us all, the party and the country”.
Conservative MPs will vote for a final time today to pick the two candidates who will go before party members. Although the result of the election will not be announced until 5 September, ballots will be distributed to members between 1 and 5 August, with many expected to vote early.
Both finalists will be invited to take part in a debate, to be broadcast live by the BBC, in Stoke on Trent on Monday. The first hustings event for Conservative members is expected to take place three days later in the north of England.
The rest of the campaign will feature two hustings events a week around the country. They will be available for members and the public to watch live.
