Tory leadership contest explained: When is the winner out of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak announced?

2 September 2022, 09:51 | Updated: 2 September 2022, 11:24

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have entered the final straight in the Tory leadership race
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have entered the final straight in the Tory leadership race. Picture: Alamy

By Cameron Kerr

Energy bills are rising fast, while the public wait to see if it will be Prime Minister Truss or Sunak offering help - so who's voting and when will we have a new Prime Minister?

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Over a summer of record heat, just one percent of the UK population have been voting to decide the next Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson has been effectively powerless since resigning on the 7th July, and whilst energy bills rise to record highs, Downing Street has said it will leave the big strategy to tackle the crisis to the next Prime Minister.

Almost two months since Johnson made his resignation speech, a result is on the horizon - so what happens now?

When do we find out the result of the Tory leadership contest?

The Conservative leadership result is expected to be announced on Monday 5th September.

Boris Johnson is expected to officially leave office the following day (Tuesday 6th September) when he offers his resignation to the Queen.

The new Prime Minister - either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak - will take charge shortly afterwards, as they are invited by the Queen to form a government.

Traditionally the meetings with the Queen would occur at Buckingham Palace, but this time it will take place at the Queen's Balmoral residence - a decision made in advance, in case mobility issues the Queen has been experiencing suddenly prevented her from travelling to London.

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak held their final hustings on Wednesday 31st August, hosted by LBC's Nick Ferrari.
Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak held their final hustings on Wednesday 31st August, hosted by LBC's Nick Ferrari. Picture: Alamy

Who's expected to win?

Both pollsters and bookies are convinced that Liz Truss is going to win the contest - Politico's recent poll of polls, which rounds up all the most recent polls of Conservative members, has Ms Truss on 59% of the vote while Mr Sunak is at 32%.

Some bookmakers even have odds of 1/100 for Ms Truss to win.

We won't know for sure until the result is announced on Monday.

Watch: Final Tory leadership hustings: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss join Nick Ferrari

When is the deadline to vote?

Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 2nd September.

Who can vote?

Anybody who joined as a Conservative Party member on or before the 3rd June 2022 is eligible to vote for the new leader - this is because voters need to be a Conservative member for at least three months before the date the ballot closes to vote.

Estimates of the number of Conservative Party members range from 150,000 to 200,000, with members paying up to £25 a year for their membership.

Read more: Liz Truss v Rishi Sunak explained: What are their policies and where do they clash?

The Conservative members voting in the contest are overwhelmingly male, white and middle class - despite more women than men living in the UK.
The Conservative members voting in the contest are overwhelmingly male, white and middle class - despite more women than men living in the UK. Picture: Alamy

Who are the Conservative members?

Conservative members are overwhelmingly middle class and represent less than one percent of the population - according to research by Queen Mary University.

Nearly 60% of them are over 50, and almost two thirds of them are male, with 50% of members living in London and the South of the UK.

An overwhelming 97% of members are white.

Nationally, only 37% of the total UK population live in London, there are more women than men living in the UK, and ethnic minorities make up 14% of the UK population.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Videos shared online showed a large police presence lined up on the street near the police station with their blue lights on.

Man charged with attempted murder as three police officers injured outside police station on New Year’s Eve

Four people who died in the collision have been named.

Four university students killed in Essex car crash named

The alleged incident happened outside Talbot Green police station in south Wales

Man charged with attempted murder after three police officers injured following incident outside police station

The Princess of Wales’s outfits have always been at the centre of her public appearances, as people routinely scrutinise, judge and copy her fashion.

‘The style is there but it’s about the substance’ - Kensington Palace will stop releasing details of Kate’s outfits

London, UK. 21 Jan 2024. Yvette Cooper - Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department is interviewed at BBC Broadcasting House where she was a guest on 'Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg'. Credit: Justin Ng/Alamy Live News

AI has put child sexual abuse 'on steroids', Home Secretary warns ahead of online safety crackdown

Flowers left near to the scene of a collision where two children died in Pitsea, Essex

Flowers left at site of fatal crash after two children killed in 'hit and run' - as man and woman arrested

The Home Secretary has previously written to tech giants including X, Meta, TikTok and Google calling for them to remove harmful content or ‘risk a second Southport’.

‘A total disgrace’ that extreme content viewed by Southport killer still on social media, says Yvette Cooper

x

Raid on abattoir leads to human trafficking arrests

It was the third time Giorgia Meloni's far-right government tried and failed to process migrants in the non-EU country.

Meloni’s offshore migrant detention scheme fails for third time as Italy forced to take back asylum seekers

m

Killer nurse Lucy Letby's legal team to announce 'new medical evidence' from panel of experts

Barclays logo high street bank sign outside branch of Barclays bank in the Shropshire town of Ludlow, England

Barclays apologises for IT glitch that 'left people homeless' and says services are back to normal

A 61-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Lamduan Armitage in 2004

Man, 61, arrested over 2004 death of Thai woman found dead in stream in Yorkshire Dales

The man hit the waitress with a plate. Picture: Social media

Man arrested after Nando's worker slapped in face with plate by customer

A man uses a cash point machine outside a branch of Barclays...

Barclays customers facing third day of problems due to ongoing IT issue

President Trump Signs Executive Orders In The Oval Office

Trump risks trade war as China, Canada and Mexico vow to respond to string of trade tariffs

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, shakes hands with U.S president-elect Donald Trump, left, before a bilateral meeting at the Elysee Palace, December 7, 2024 in Paris, France.

US wants Ukraine to hold elections after potential ceasefire with Russia, Trump envoy says