Tory PM hopeful Tugendhat ‘delighted’ to remain in race

Jeremy Hunt and Nadhim Zahawi were eliminated from the Tory Party leadership contest on Wednesday, as former chancellor Rishi Sunak topped the vote of the remaining six candidates.

In results of the first leadership ballot, announced by backbench 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, Rishi Sunak gained 88 votes from Tory MPs, Penny Mordaunt,67, Liz Truss,50, Kemi Badenoch, 40, Tom Tugendhat 37, and Suella Braverman with 32 nominations made it through to the next round in the race.

But former health secretary Hunt, with 18 votes , and ex-chancellor Zahawi 25 were eliminated for the contest, having not reached the required 30 vote threshold.

Tugendhat, who has Jewish ancestry through his grandfather’s family, tweeted:”This is a fantastic result.

“I’m delighted to be going through to the next round with the momentum we need to change this country for the better. ”

While Sunak was out in the lead, there was speculation that deals could be done amongst MPs on the right of the party, to enable a single candidate to challenge him.

Mordaunt, who came second in Wednesday’s vote, will also believe she can now go on to win the race and become the next Tory Prime Minister.

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers had earlier confirmed she had backed Sunak.

By next week two candidates will emerge who will proceed to the final round when party members will choose between them to     select a new party leader – and prime minister.

Boris Johnson had earlier on Wednesday taken MPs’ questions during rowdy scenes in the Commons at Prime Minister’s Question Time where he said he was “leaving with my head held high”