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| Tory leadership rumours of 'dark arts' swirl before final vote | Tory leadership rumours of 'dark arts' swirl before final vote |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| If there is an Operation Stop Gove under way, then the twist is still to come. After a turbulent campaign, Michael Gove overtook his rival Jeremy Hunt for the first time on Thursday morning to put him in pole position to reach the final two against Boris Johnson. | If there is an Operation Stop Gove under way, then the twist is still to come. After a turbulent campaign, Michael Gove overtook his rival Jeremy Hunt for the first time on Thursday morning to put him in pole position to reach the final two against Boris Johnson. |
| Overnight rumours swirled in Westminster that the politicking rumoured to have killed off the campaigns of Dominic Raab and then Rory Stewart was now to be directed at Gove. | Overnight rumours swirled in Westminster that the politicking rumoured to have killed off the campaigns of Dominic Raab and then Rory Stewart was now to be directed at Gove. |
| As she announced on 24 May, Theresa May stepped down formally as Conservative leader on Friday 7 June, although she remains in place as prime minister until her successor is chosen. | As she announced on 24 May, Theresa May stepped down formally as Conservative leader on Friday 7 June, although she remains in place as prime minister until her successor is chosen. |
| MPs hold a series of votes, in order to narrow down the initially crowded field to two leadership hopefuls. | MPs hold a series of votes, in order to narrow down the initially crowded field to two leadership hopefuls. |
| How does the voting work? | How does the voting work? |
| MPs choose one candidate, in a secret ballot held in a committee room in the House of Commons. The votes are tallied and the results announced on the same day. | MPs choose one candidate, in a secret ballot held in a committee room in the House of Commons. The votes are tallied and the results announced on the same day. |
| In the first round any candidate who won the support of less than 17 MPs was eliminated. In the second round anybody reaching less than 33 votes was eliminated. In subsequent rounds the bottom placed contender drops out until there are only two left. The campaign will conclude on 20 June, with multiple rounds of voting during the day as necessary. | In the first round any candidate who won the support of less than 17 MPs was eliminated. In the second round anybody reaching less than 33 votes was eliminated. In subsequent rounds the bottom placed contender drops out until there are only two left. The campaign will conclude on 20 June, with multiple rounds of voting during the day as necessary. |
| When will the results be announced? | When will the results be announced? |
| Once MPs have whittled down the field to two, Conservative party HQ takes over the running of the next stage, the postal ballot of members. It says this will be completed in the week beginning Monday 22 July. | Once MPs have whittled down the field to two, Conservative party HQ takes over the running of the next stage, the postal ballot of members. It says this will be completed in the week beginning Monday 22 July. |
| Johnson’s vote went up by 14 votes on Thursday morning. Given that he was unlikely to be gaining votes from supporters of Stewart, who has criticised the frontrunner at every turn, this suggested that there had been some tactical voting in previous rounds. If Johnson’s vote goes down in the next round, it could be confirmation. | Johnson’s vote went up by 14 votes on Thursday morning. Given that he was unlikely to be gaining votes from supporters of Stewart, who has criticised the frontrunner at every turn, this suggested that there had been some tactical voting in previous rounds. If Johnson’s vote goes down in the next round, it could be confirmation. |
| The reason for a Stop Gove operation was said to be a mix of those who wanted to punish Gove for his shock leadership run in 2016, which killed Johnson’s chances, and their belief that Hunt would be an easier opponent in the final round. | The reason for a Stop Gove operation was said to be a mix of those who wanted to punish Gove for his shock leadership run in 2016, which killed Johnson’s chances, and their belief that Hunt would be an easier opponent in the final round. |
| Gove’s team reacted angrily to the suggestions that votes could be lent from Johnson to Hunt in order to squash his bid. Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary who has been one of Gove’s earliest backers, suggested it would backfire, particularly with former supporters of Stewart. | Gove’s team reacted angrily to the suggestions that votes could be lent from Johnson to Hunt in order to squash his bid. Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary who has been one of Gove’s earliest backers, suggested it would backfire, particularly with former supporters of Stewart. |
| Yet if there was an operation going on to stop Gove, it either backfired or was not enough; Gove scraped past Hunt with 61 votes to the foreign secretary’s 59. Gove’s team were very cautious not to say they believe the tactics had backfired. “There’s still another round,” one said. | |
| A senior member of Hunt’s team said before the result that while they believed it was all but certain that votes had been lent elsewhere, they cautioned that those who were playing political games would need to be deeply trusted by Johnson. | A senior member of Hunt’s team said before the result that while they believed it was all but certain that votes had been lent elsewhere, they cautioned that those who were playing political games would need to be deeply trusted by Johnson. |
| “Would Boris trust anyone other than himself and a few others?” the MP said. “Perhaps he’s never even voted for himself. But the reality is that if you’re in the position where you can influence the entire race, then you’d be crazy not to.” | “Would Boris trust anyone other than himself and a few others?” the MP said. “Perhaps he’s never even voted for himself. But the reality is that if you’re in the position where you can influence the entire race, then you’d be crazy not to.” |
| Both Hunt and Gove’s supporters were playing down expectations that they could capitalise after Stewart, the international development secretary, was knocked out of the race on Wednesday night. | Both Hunt and Gove’s supporters were playing down expectations that they could capitalise after Stewart, the international development secretary, was knocked out of the race on Wednesday night. |
| David Gauke, the justice secretaryand one of the Stewart’s most vocal supporters, declined to say who he was backing, as did Stewart himself. But Gauke, who left the voting room in conversation with the Hunt campaigner Philip Dunne, said he believed the 27 votes would not go as one bloc. Two ballots were spoilt, the first time in the contest. | |
| Of his key backers, the Tory grandees Nicholas Soames and Ken Clarke left the voting lobbies refusing to say who they would back now, though the digital minister, Margot James, a backer of both Matt Hancock and then Stewart, said she had voted for Hunt, calling allegations of dark arts “appalling”. | |
| Hunt’s supporters now have a battle to persuade a significant number of Sajid Javid’s 38 supporters to rally behind him. Their argument for the two hours in between votes is that the country does not need to see another “psychodrama” between Gove and Johnson and that Hunt is best placed to renegotiate a Brexit deal. | |
| Javid has said he will not back anyone but he is expected to come behind Johnson in the later stages of the race, and is even tipped to be given the role of chancellor. | Javid has said he will not back anyone but he is expected to come behind Johnson in the later stages of the race, and is even tipped to be given the role of chancellor. |
| Several of his supporters are likely to follow him to Johnson’s bloc, either privately or publicly. Johnson’s supporters now make up just over half the parliamentary party. | Several of his supporters are likely to follow him to Johnson’s bloc, either privately or publicly. Johnson’s supporters now make up just over half the parliamentary party. |
| Conservative leadership | Conservative leadership |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| Michael Gove | Michael Gove |
| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
| analysis | analysis |
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