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| New UK prime minister: Johnson and Hunt await Conservative leadership vote | New UK prime minister: Johnson and Hunt await Conservative leadership vote |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt will become the new Conservative leader shortly when the result of the contest to succeed Theresa May is announced. | |
| The outcome of the ballot of about 160,000 Tory members will be revealed just before midday. | |
| The victor will officially become UK prime minister on Wednesday. | |
| Mr Johnson, former mayor of London, is seen as the clear favourite, although a number of senior figures have said they will not serve under him. | Mr Johnson, former mayor of London, is seen as the clear favourite, although a number of senior figures have said they will not serve under him. |
| Mrs May, who is standing down after a revolt by Conservative MPs over her Brexit policy, is chairing her last cabinet meeting. | Mrs May, who is standing down after a revolt by Conservative MPs over her Brexit policy, is chairing her last cabinet meeting. |
| She will officially tender her resignation to the Queen on Wednesday afternoon after taking part in her final Prime Minister's Questions. | She will officially tender her resignation to the Queen on Wednesday afternoon after taking part in her final Prime Minister's Questions. |
| Her successor will take office shortly afterwards, following an audience at Buckingham Palace. | Her successor will take office shortly afterwards, following an audience at Buckingham Palace. |
| Conservative members have been voting by post for the past two-and-a-half weeks. It is the first time they will have selected a serving prime minister. | Conservative members have been voting by post for the past two-and-a-half weeks. It is the first time they will have selected a serving prime minister. |
| Since he made the final two candidates last month, Mr Johnson - who led the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum - has been regarded as the frontrunner. | Since he made the final two candidates last month, Mr Johnson - who led the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum - has been regarded as the frontrunner. |
| Conservative MP Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme Mr Johnson would "improve" the Brexit deal with the EU in a way that would satisfy Parliament. | Conservative MP Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme Mr Johnson would "improve" the Brexit deal with the EU in a way that would satisfy Parliament. |
| "One of the great attractions of Boris taking over our party is that he is optimistic and ambitious," he added. | "One of the great attractions of Boris taking over our party is that he is optimistic and ambitious," he added. |
| Mr Johnson has previously said the withdrawal agreement Mrs May negotiated with the EU is "dead". | Mr Johnson has previously said the withdrawal agreement Mrs May negotiated with the EU is "dead". |
| What is happening today? | What is happening today? |
| The month-long leadership campaign has been dominated by arguments over Brexit. | The month-long leadership campaign has been dominated by arguments over Brexit. |
| Mr Hunt, the foreign secretary, has said he is better placed to secure a negotiated exit and would be prepared to ask for more time beyond the Halloween deadline to finalise it. | Mr Hunt, the foreign secretary, has said he is better placed to secure a negotiated exit and would be prepared to ask for more time beyond the Halloween deadline to finalise it. |
| Mr Johnson has said he is determined to take the UK out of the EU on 31 October, if necessary without a deal. He has said all ministers who serve in his cabinet must "reconcile" themselves to this. | Mr Johnson has said he is determined to take the UK out of the EU on 31 October, if necessary without a deal. He has said all ministers who serve in his cabinet must "reconcile" themselves to this. |
| The BBC's political correspondent Nick Eardley said the incoming prime minister would inherit a "daunting in-tray". | |
| The EU has repeatedly insisted the withdrawal agreement is not up for renegotiation. | |
| Many MPs, including some Conservatives, have also said they will do all they can to stop no deal if the next PM tries to take that route. | |
| In a no-deal scenario, the UK would immediately leave the EU with no agreement about the "divorce" process, and would, overnight, leave the single market and customs union - arrangements designed to facilitate trade. | |
| 'An extraordinary triumph?' | 'An extraordinary triumph?' |
| The embedded expectation in Westminster is that the name will be Boris Johnson - unless the Tory party has been collectively deceiving itself in the past few weeks. | The embedded expectation in Westminster is that the name will be Boris Johnson - unless the Tory party has been collectively deceiving itself in the past few weeks. |
| If it proves so, the triumph will be extraordinary. Not because of a journey Mr Johnson has been on in the last few weeks - the controversial former foreign secretary and London mayor started out as the frontrunner. | If it proves so, the triumph will be extraordinary. Not because of a journey Mr Johnson has been on in the last few weeks - the controversial former foreign secretary and London mayor started out as the frontrunner. |
| But because again and again, over many years, his own political accidents and behaviour would have ruled other politicians out. | But because again and again, over many years, his own political accidents and behaviour would have ruled other politicians out. |
| Mr Johnson's supporters would say he has found himself in some serious scrapes. | Mr Johnson's supporters would say he has found himself in some serious scrapes. |
| His detractors would say he has blundered his way through a high-profile career causing offence and putting his own interests ahead of the country's. | His detractors would say he has blundered his way through a high-profile career causing offence and putting his own interests ahead of the country's. |
| It wasn't so long ago that the same received wisdom in Westminster that said he could never make it, said that he had blown too many chances - his long held public ambition would never be achieved. | It wasn't so long ago that the same received wisdom in Westminster that said he could never make it, said that he had blown too many chances - his long held public ambition would never be achieved. |
| But it is likely his status as Brexit's cheerleader-in-chief will see him into the job he has craved. | But it is likely his status as Brexit's cheerleader-in-chief will see him into the job he has craved. |
| Read more analysis from Laura here. | Read more analysis from Laura here. |
| Chancellor Philip Hammond, Justice Secretary David Gauke and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart have all said they cannot support this and will resign if Mr Johnson is elected. | Chancellor Philip Hammond, Justice Secretary David Gauke and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart have all said they cannot support this and will resign if Mr Johnson is elected. |
| Mr Gauke said he had held a "very friendly" meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday, in which he told him they had "very different views on the consequences of a no-deal Brexit". | Mr Gauke said he had held a "very friendly" meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday, in which he told him they had "very different views on the consequences of a no-deal Brexit". |
| But speaking on the Today programme on Tuesday, Mr Gauke said he wanted Mr Johnson to succeed - should he become PM - and he would not vote against the Conservative Party in any confidence motion. | But speaking on the Today programme on Tuesday, Mr Gauke said he wanted Mr Johnson to succeed - should he become PM - and he would not vote against the Conservative Party in any confidence motion. |
| Beyond those resignations, there are likely to be wholesale changes in cabinet if Mr Johnson wins. Such a reshuffle will only begin if and when he enters Downing Street on Wednesday. | Beyond those resignations, there are likely to be wholesale changes in cabinet if Mr Johnson wins. Such a reshuffle will only begin if and when he enters Downing Street on Wednesday. |
| Sir Alan Duncan, who quit his Foreign Office role on Monday, had called for MPs to have a vote before this on whether they actually back Mr Johnson forming a government. | Sir Alan Duncan, who quit his Foreign Office role on Monday, had called for MPs to have a vote before this on whether they actually back Mr Johnson forming a government. |
| He said it would show whether Mr Johnson, who like his predecessor will depend on the votes of the Democratic Unionists to form a majority, has "the numbers to govern". | He said it would show whether Mr Johnson, who like his predecessor will depend on the votes of the Democratic Unionists to form a majority, has "the numbers to govern". |
| However, his request was turned down by Commons Speaker John Bercow. | However, his request was turned down by Commons Speaker John Bercow. |