The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Runners and riders in leadership race: the potential candidates
Theresa May’s resignation speech has fired the starting gun on the official Tory leadership race, by setting a departure date of June 7.
The unofficial race has been running for weeks as her premiership sputtered to a halt, with the final nail in the coffin being the Cabinet revolt over her latest Brexit deal and the Withdrawal Agreement Bill being ditched against her wishes.
Here are the top 10 vying to take on the mantle of Conservative leader by winning over Tory MPs and grassroots members:
BORIS JOHNSON
Former foreign secretary and London mayor Mr Johnson, 54, is considered by most as the favourite to win the leadership race (Ladbrokes odds 5/4).
He nearly beat Theresa May to the top job in 2016, until Michael Gove decided to scupper his chances. DOMINIC RAAB
Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has refused to rule out standing in a leadership contest and has a semiofficial Ready for Raab Twitter account ready for a leadership bid (William Hill odds 9/2).
The 44-year-old was a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign and Mrs May appointed him as her second Brexit secretary in July, but he quit the role in November, saying he could not support her eventual deal. ANDREA LEADSOM
Former leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, said she was “seriously considering” running for the Conservative leadership before she quit her role on Wednesday.
Her refusal to bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to the Commons could be seen as the final nail in the coffin for Mrs May’s premiership and was widely interpreted as positioning for a leadership bid (Bet365 odds 14/1) MICHAEL GOVE
Mr Gove has been working to resuscitate trust among colleagues since he wielded the knife against Boris Johnson in the previous leadership contest, despite being his campaign manager. Since then, he has made some memorable Commons appearances, notably in defence of Mrs May’s deal, and has a reputation for mastering complicated briefs (William Hill odds 9/1).
JEREMY HUNT
The foreign secretary campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum and would be a moderate candidate on Brexit in the leadership election (Ladbrokes odds 10/1)
He battled with doctors as health secretary before being appointed foreign secretary in July last year, when Boris Johnson quit.
The MP for South West Surrey did not run in the previous contest, instead backing Mrs May, and he was one of the last Cabinet members she met in Downing Street.
PENNY MORDAUNT
Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt became the UK’s first female defence secretary at the start of the month, following the sacking of Gavin Williamson (Bet365 odds of 20/1).
She has been named by Jacob ReesMogg as one of his favoured candidates and has a higher public profile than most due to her 2014 appearance on reality TV show Splash!
SAJID JAVID
Home Secretary Sajid Javid signalled his leadership ambitions by arguing that he wanted the Tories to be the party of social mobility, in an interview with the Spectator (Ladbrokes odds 20/1).
Mr Javid, 49, who backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver, became the first home secretary from an ethnic minority background when he was appointed in April 2018. RORY STEWART
New international development secretary Rory Stewart was promoted from prisons minister at the start of this month when Penny Mordaunt was promoted (Paddypower odds 20/1).
He is known for pledging to resign from his prisons minister post if he couldn’t get a grip on rising levels of drugs and violence in UK jails.
Mr Stewart previously served as environment minister in David Cameron’s government.
He began his leadership bid in an interview with The Spectator last month, saying: “If you want someone who really enjoys doing stuff and loves government and is really proud of the country and feel that’s their thing, I’m really enthusiastic.”
MATT HANCOCK
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, 40, has refused to rule himself out and said he has a “strong view about the sort of leader we need” (Betfred odds 50/1). JAMES CLEVERLY
James Cleverly was appointed Brexit minister in April this year, following a stint as Conservative Party deputy chairman (Betfair odds 66/1).
He strongly hinted that he would make a leadership bid at an unofficial hustings held by the Telegraph earlier this week.