May wins first round of Tory leadership contest

Energy minister Andrea Leadsom, boosted by the support of Boris Johnson, came second with 66 votes. Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox was elminated, garnering only 16 supporters among fellow MPs.

Justice Secretary Michael Gove came third with 48 votes and Work & Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb was fourth with 34.

Crabb subsequently pulled out of the running and promptly endorsed May as his preferred candidate, further enhancing her prospects of becoming party leader and Prime Minister.

“I think given the seriousness of the situation, the quicker we have a new and strong prime minister in place, the better,” he said.

In recent days Leadsom, a prominent member of the campaign to leave the European Union and hardline right winger, had gained in popularity with at least 27 backers, but faces a series of questions over her personal finances and a performance at a party husting that was described by one MP who attended as a “car crash”.

She has also faced criticism over her attack on Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, whom she accused of promoting “financial instability” by warning of the immediate impact of a Brexit vote on the economy.

May, who voted to remain in the EU has the backing of at least 100 MPs, including 10 Cabinet Ministers. She was forced into climbing down over her refusal to guarantee the rights of EU citizens already in the UK to stay.

Gove turned the contest upside down last week when he withdrew his support for Johnson and decided to run after repeatedly denying he wanted to be prime minister.

The remaining three will go through to the second round on Thursday. If necessary a third session will take place next Tuesday and the final two candidates will be forward to a vote by the party’s grassroots members and the winner announced on September 9.

The contest was triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron after the UK voted to leave the EU 52% to 48% in a referendum.