The runners and riders to replace the Prime Minister – and the bookies’ verdict

JEREMY HUNT

Mr Hunt, former health secretary, lost to Boris Johnson in the final round of the 2019 Conservative leadership contest.

Before the confidence vote, he wrote: “Anyone who believes our country is stronger, fairer & more prosperous when led by Conservatives should reflect that the consequence of not changing will be to hand the country to others who do not share those values. Today’s decision is change or lose. I will be voting for change.” 7/2

LIZ TRUSS

A darling of the grassroots, the Foreign Secretary has a strong base among MPS and members. In December, she was accused by No10 of using her position on Plan B Covid rules to woo Tory backbenchers.

But when asked about the idea of her own bid to become prime minister, she said Mr Johnson retained her “100 per cent” confidence. 5/1

RISHI SUNAK

It has been a bruising couple of months for the Chancellor, once seen as Mr Johnson’s heir apparent, after a backlash over his wife’s tax status, and the disclosure that he had held a US Green Card.

But his low-tax,

Thatcherite instincts are popular among the Conservative membership and his support increased again this month amid measures to support Britons through the cost of living crisis. 15/2

NADHIM ZAHAWI

Widely regarded as a safe pair of hands, Mr Zahawi was the vaccines minister during the pandemic before his promotion to the role of Education Secretary.

He unveiled an education White Paper earlier in the year and has taken an evangelical approach to the Government’s levelling-up agenda. 10/1

SAJID JAVID

The experienced Mr Javid has now held all of the great offices of state and was brought back into Mr Johnson’s Cabinet as Health Secretary in the summer of last year as Covid curbs were lifted.

He adopted a more hawkish approach towards the virus than Matt Hancock, his predecessor, and resisted calls for a full lockdown.

Yesterday, he stressed his loyalty to the Prime Minister and said a confidence vote was an “opportunity... to draw a line under all this”. 16/1

BEN WALLACE

Mr Wallace has been Defence Secretary for the entirety of Mr Johnson’s premiership, and his handling of the response to the invasion of Ukraine has led to his being widely touted as a future prime minister.

One Tory backbencher said there would be a “coronation” for Mr Wallace in the event of a leadership vacuum as he would attract support from all wings of the party. 8/1

PENNY MORDAUNT

Ms Mordaunt was a supporter of Jeremy Hunt in the 2019 leadership election, in which she left the Cabinet before becoming Paymaster General in 2020, and was then moved to the Department for International Trade.

Last month, after the publication of the full Sue Gray report, Ms Mordaunt told the BBC she was “angry” at those in Downing Street who ignored Covid rules, while blocking “reasonable requests to relax restrictions”. 5/1

TOM TUGENDHAT

Mr Tugendhat holds the Foreign Office to account as chairman of the cross-party Commons foreign affairs committee.

He has been strongly critical of Mr Johnson throughout his premiership, and in an email to constituents on May 30 said his actions had shown “a lack of respect … for the British people or the Queen”. 5/1

PRITI PATEL

The Home Secretary since Mr Johnson took office, Ms Patel was the architect of the Channel migrant deal with Rwanda.

She was the last member of the Cabinet to confirm her support for Mr Johnson yesterday, but has said he has her full backing. 33/1

DOMINIC RAAB

Mr Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, has also served as Foreign Secretary under Mr Johnson and finished sixth in the 2019 Conserative election.

As Justice Secretary, he has tried to clamp down on “wokery” in the legal and prison systems. He has urged the public to forgive the Prime Minister over partygate. 25/1

Odds given by Paddy Power