The race to succeed Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party is underway as eight contenders vie for the support of Tory MPs to make the final shortlist of two to be voted on by party members.
The eight received the necessary nominations to be on the ballot when Conservative MPs begin voting on Wednesday. Several rounds are expected, with the shortlist due to be finalized by July 21.
Here are which MPs publicly support which contenders:
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The candidates
Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak: The 42-year-old former chancellor has established himself as the favorite to be the next prime minister thanks to first-mover advantage, a slick campaign launch video and the support of many MPs across the party. But his message of fiscal discipline has proved unpopular with some Tories unhappy with his economic strategy.
Penny Mordaunt
Penny Mordaunt: The junior trade secretary has been eyeing the Tory leadership for several years with a unique approach, combining her pro-Brexit credentials with social liberalism, drawing on her experience in the Royal Navy. The weak public authority of the 49-year-old man was compensated by an effective operation to win support among conservative MPs.
Tom Tugendhat
Tom Tugendhat: The chairman of the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee has no experience in government but has found favor on the left of the Conservative Party with his proposal for a “clean break” from the Johnson era by playing up his military service. The 49-year-old’s hopes have been boosted by the backing of several high-profile Brexit supporters.
Liz Truss
Liz Truss: The Foreign Secretary’s performance is based on two key strands: a clean break with the Johnson government’s economic policy and a focus on performance based on her five cabinet roles. The 46-year-old’s focus on freedom and liberty mimics her hero Margaret Thatcher and has found favor on the right wing of the party.
Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi: The newly appointed chancellor was an early favorite in the race but has struggled to gain momentum, in part because of his central role in Johnson’s downfall and questions about his tax affairs. But the 55-year-old hopes his position, based on economic transformation and social mobility, can still find favor with a large number of MPs.
Kemi Badenoch
Kemi Badenoch: The former equality secretary has low profile outside Westminster but has become the surprise outside choice in the race thanks to her sharp record on social issues and the endorsement of former secretary Michael Gove. The 42-year-old also found support from a number of younger MPs from the 2017 and 2019 elections.
Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt: the former health secretary was one of the first to announce that Johnson should stand down as prime minister and hoped to move to the left of the Tory party, based on his experience in government. But the 55-year-old has struggled to build momentum after a late start to his campaign and is expected to drop out early.
Suella Braverman
Suella Braverman: The Attorney General has found much favor with the right wing of the Conservative Party, built on her reputation as the former head of the European Study Group of pro-Brexit MPs, including her promise to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. But the 42-year-old is likely to struggle to win support from moderate MPs.
It is no longer in motion
Sajid Javid
Sajid Javid: The former health secretary’s third bid for the Tory leadership followed his decision to quit the Johnson government on July 5, setting off the chain of events that led to the prime minister’s departure. But support for the 52-year-old MP among MPs has waned since his last bid and he quit before the first vote.
Rehman Chishti
Rehman Chishti: The former czar of religious freedom made the most surprising entry in the leadership race, given his lack of ministerial record and minimal support from MPs. The 43-year-old withdrew before the first vote.
Priti Patel
Priti Patel: several socially conservative Tories backed the home secretary before she rejected a bid for the leadership. Had the 50-year-old chosen to enter the race late, she would likely have faced a battle with other more established candidates for support from the party’s right wing.
Grant Shapps
Grant Shapps: the transport secretary made a surprise bid for the leadership based on his record in government and a promise to be permanent prime minister. But the 53-year-old struggled to win much support from lawmakers and dropped out of the race on July 12, backing Sunak.
How the leadership contest works
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Additional work by Mumena Choudhury, Veronika Samborska and Kari-Ruth Pedersen
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