Tory timetable for new PM announced: Contenders to need backing of at least 20 colleagues

11 July 2022, 19:49 | Updated: 12 July 2022, 10:21

Tory leadership contenders will need the support of at least 20 Tory MPs - including their proposer and seconder - to get on the ballot paper, the 1922 committee has decided.

As it stands currently, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt have hit the threshold set by the rule change.

Tom Tugendhat was on 19 as of Monday evening and Liz Truss was on 15 - but there are plenty of MPs yet to announce who they are backing.

Sir Graham Brady, who was re-elected as the Committee chairman earlier on Monday, said in an update: "Nominations will open and close [on Tuesday], we will have a first ballot on Wednesday and a second ballot is likely on Thursday.

"We expect 20 supporters for each candidate... we'll also expect that on the first ballot any candidate to proceed must have won at least 30 votes from parliamentary colleagues."

The result of the contest for the next Tory leader - and Prime Minister - will be announced on September 5, when MPs return to Westminster following their summer break.

It will come after a run-off between the final two candidates in a postal ballot of party members but it is unclear when the final vote will take place.

Sir Graham said it was a "perfectly reasonable" timetable that would allow hustings to take place around the country over the summer.

Read more: Boris won't 'ruin any candidate's chances' as 11 Tories line up in leadership battle

Read more: Who will replace Boris? The Tory contenders battling to become Britain's next PM

Eustice: A new leader should be in place by September

He headed to the Central Conservative Headquarters after the 1922 meeting to get approval of the rule change from the board.

The new executive decided during the day is also made up of: Aaron Bell, Miriam Cates, Jo Gideon, Richard Graham, Chris Green, Robert Halfon, Sally-Ann Hart, Andrew Jones, Tom Randall, David Simmonds, John Stevenson and Martin Vickers.

The timetable for the leadership contest was the first on the executive's to-do list on Monday evening, with Westminster eagerly awaiting details on the upcoming race.

Some 11 Tories are already in the running, including Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt and Grant Shapps.

Boris Johnson speaks out on resignation as he undertakes engagement

Boris Johnson was unwilling to discuss in detail the events of recent days on Monday morning, instead looking ahead to his final few weeks in No10.

Speaking for the first time since his dramatic resignation last week Mr Johnson vowed to continue to "oversee the process" before a new Tory leader is elected.

However, when asked who he will be backing as his successor, Mr Johnson said: "I wouldn't want to damage leadership candidates' chances by offering my support".

During a visit to the Francis Crick Institute in London, he said: "I'm determined to get on and deliver the mandate that was given to us, but my job is really just to oversee the process in the next few weeks, and I'm sure that the outcome will be good."

He is expected to stay in his role until his replacement is chosen ahead of the Tory conference in autumn.