Following last night’s elimination of Tom Tugendhat from the race for the Conservative leadership, the remaining four candidates continue to vie for MP support ahead of tonight’s further vote.
In this evening’s vote, MPs will whittle down the remaining four candidates to three.
The Tonbridge-Malling MP polled 31 votes. Former chancellor Rishi Unak continued to top with 115 votes.
Penny Mordaunt is still in second place, with 82% more votes than in the second ballot.
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Kemi Badenoch came in fourth with 58 votes, but she also received more voters (9 in the third ballot) than Liz Truss (71), seven more than in the previous round.
The key question is who Tugendhat’s 31 erstwhile supporters will switch their vote to in tonight’s vote.
Although Tugendhat is backing Mordaunt now, it is not clear if his backers will follow suit.
Former deputy prime minister Damian Green told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning that he has “not necessarily” decided against voting for a candidate who served in Boris Johnson’s top team.
Green, a member of the liberal-leaning “One Nation” wing of the party, explained: “What is important to me is that I want to see a Conservative government that respects our institutions, respects the rule of law, tries to spread wealth and opportunity throughout the country.
More to come
