Tom Tugendhat has turn into the most recent candidate to drop out of the Tory management contest.
The international affairs committee chairman got here final with 31 votes within the third poll of Conservative MPs.
Rishi Sunak solidified his place because the frontrunner with 115 votes, 14 greater than the final spherical, whereas Penny Mordaunt stayed in second place with 82 votes, one lower than she managed within the earlier poll.
International secretary Liz Truss got here third as soon as once more on 71, up seven on the second poll, with Kemi Badenoch fourth on 58 votes, 9 greater than final time spherical.
A spokesperson for Sunak’s marketing campaign stated: “Rishi has performed nicely in the present day as a result of he’s the candidate with the clearest plan to revive belief, rebuild the financial system, reunite the nation and since he’s greatest positioned to beat Labour on the subsequent election.
“Each ballot reveals solely Rishi can beat Starmer, and is the candidate the general public suppose would make the most effective PM.
“MPs are additionally recognising that Rishi has the most effective expertise and plans to take care of the present financial scenario. Rishi will rebuild our financial system by gripping inflation and getting our financial system rising shortly once more.”
Regardless of coming second, Mordaunt can be dissatisfied that her assist has fallen because the final spherical, whereas Truss would even have hoped to have made extra progress after receiving the endorsement of Suella Braverman, who was ejected within the second spherical.
Badenoch, nonetheless, can be happy that she continues to choose up assist and is now well-placed to problem each Mordaunt and Truss for second place.
After his elimination, Tugendhat stated he’ll take heed to what different candidates should say earlier than deciding who to assist.
A Badenoch marketing campaign supply stated: “Kemi is happy to have taken it to the subsequent vote. She has momentum over each Mordaunt and Truss. It’s all to play for and Kemi is in it to win.
“She desires to ship change and is the one candidate within the race able to delivering it.”
One other poll can be held tomorrow, with the ultimate two candidates being confirmed following a fifth spherical of voting on Wednesday.
That pair will then spend the subsequent six weeks campaigning across the nation, with 200,000 Tory members voting on who ought to succeed Boris Johnson as occasion chief and prime minister.
In a pitch to Tugendhat’s supporters, Mordaunt stated: “My vote is regular and I’m grateful to my colleagues for all their assist and thrilled to be in second place as soon as extra. MPs know that I’m a powerful candidate, working a very clear marketing campaign and placing ahead a optimistic imaginative and prescient for the occasion and our nation.
“Tom Tugendhat MP is a pal and colleague who I’ve admired for years, I do know that we’re each dedicated to a clear begin for our occasion and I imagine he is among the strongest belongings the Conservative inexperienced benches. It was an honour to face alongside him on this contest.”
A spokesperson for Truss stated: “Liz is the candidate to steer a daring new financial strategy, lower taxes, ship on the advantages of Brexit, unite the occasion and win a common election.
“Tom Tugendhat ran a marketing campaign that he could be very happy with and he has proven the depth of high quality within the Conservative Occasion.
“Now could be the time to get behind the most effective candidate to ship the financial change we’d like.”
