The race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader has officially kicked off, with candidates finally starting to announce their campaigns.
With just 121 MPs returned to Westminster after a brutal election defeat, the options for members are far more limited than they would have imagined even just six months ago.
Under the rules, Tory MPs hold numerous ballots to eliminate candidates, until they are whittled down to two who then compete for support from the membership.
Under plans drawn up by the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs and the party board, nominations opened on Wednesday evening and close in the afternoon on July 29.
The parliamentary party will then narrow the field down to four, who will make their case at the Conservative Party Conference, which runs from September 29 to October 2.
The final two, picked by the parliamentary party, will then be voted on by Conservative Party members in an online ballot that will close on October 31. The result will be announced on November 2.
Bob Blackman, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said he was determined the leadership debate will be “respectful and thorough” and warned against the contest descending into “personal attacks”.
Mr Sunak, who will remain acting leader until a successor is appointed, has given his backing to the plans and said a “smooth and orderly transition” is in the “national interest”.
Here is who expected to run, and whether or not they are likely to have a chance of becoming Conservative leader.
1. James Cleverly
James Cleverly is the first Tory leadership hopeful to declare his candidacy in the race to replace Rishi Sunak. The outgoing Home Secretary and MP for Braintree, Mr Cleverly is an experienced minister, who has run both the Home Office and Foreign Office. He says he can “unite the Conservative Party and overturn Starmer’s loveless landslide”. In a post on social media, the shadow minister said he was running to “restore the confidence of the British people in us as a party” and “re-establish our reputation” as a party that “helps grow the economy, helps people achieve their goals, their dreams and their aspirations”. Ladbrokes odds: 6/1 Photo: Jonathan Brady
2. Kemi Badenoch
The outgoing Business Secretary is a strong favourite for the leadership, and one who has been courting support long before there was a vacancy. Boasting the highest satisfaction rating of any cabinet minister on the influential Conservative Home website earlier this year, Ms Badenoch would expect to fare well if she makes it to the membership. The North West Essex MP came fourth in the leadership race of July 2022, but has since fallen out with one of her closest allies – Michael Gove. She has also been accused by former minister Nadine Dorries of being the choice of the "establishment" controlling the party. Ladbrokes odds: 7/4 Photo: Jordan Pettitt
3. Tom Tugendhat
A former security minister, Mr Tugendhat is the likely choice for the so-called “One Nation” Tories, who sit on the left of the party. Despite this, the former soldier and MP for Tonbridge and Malling can make some claim to be the unity candidate, not least after securing endorsements from across the party. In a joint intervention, leading centrist Damian Green and hardline Brexiteer Steve Baker backed Mr Tugendhat, warning a lurch to the "hard right" would alienate voters even further. A favourite to get to the final two, his greatest hurdle is believed to be securing votes from the right-wing Tory membership. Ladbrokes odds: 5/1 | PA Photo: Leon Neal
4. Dame Priti Patel
The former home secretary is expected to announce her campaign this week, marking the first time the Witham MP has made a run for the leadership. Sources suggest Ms Patel deliberately kept her head down in the aftermath of the general election result, and has been quietly putting a team together after securing support from colleagues. This is believed to include several MPs, campaign staff, as well as “high profile” Tory donors. Untarnished by the Liz Truss administration, Ms Patel’s candidacy will see her once again face questions over the bullying allegations that saw her found to have broken the ministerial code. In 2020, Boris Johnson’s adviser on standards, Sir Alex Allan, ruled Ms Patel had “unintentionally” broken the ministerial code, with “behaviour that can be described as bullying in terms of the impact felt by individuals”. Ladbrokes odds: 8/1 | Getty Images