Confirmed: Penny Mordaunt is running for the top job
Several Tory MPs declared their support for Penny Mordaunt moments after the Commons Leader announced she was running for the top job.
Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, tweeted: “I am backing @PennyMordaunt to be Prime Minister as I believe she has the leadership attributes, experience, empathy and compassion to unite our country and lead us through these challenging times.”
Nicola Richards, MP for West Bromwich East, said she believes Ms Mordaunt will be the “stabilising, calm and collected figure” needed to “see us through the turbulent times ahead”.
“I’m backing @PennyMordaunt to unite our party, deliver our 2019 manifesto and win the general election,” she tweeted. “I know Penny will be the stabilising, calm and collected figure we need to see us through the turbulent times ahead.”
Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, Bob Seely, MP for the Isle of Wight, and Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, also expressed their support.
Former cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom has backed Mordaunt to be the new Tory leader, citing her “compassion” and “determination”.
Quoting a post from Ms Mordaunt announcing her bid, Ms Leadsom tweeted: “Delighted by this!
“Penny has the experience, the compassion and the determination to lead our country to a bright future!”
She added the hashtag #PM4PM.
Rishi Sunak
Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Chris Philp said he would back Rishi Sunak to replace Liz Truss in No 10.
Mr Philp, who was moved from his old post as chief secretary to the Treasury last week in the wake of mini-budget turmoil, tweeted: “After a lot of thought I’ve decided to support and nominate Rishi as the next PM.
“I think he will serve our country’s national interest very well in the months and years ahead, through globally turbulent times.”
He said he hopes the Tory party “unites around whoever wins, in the national interest”.
Boris Johnson
More than half of Britons would be unhappy to see Boris Johnson return as prime minister, according to a poll.
The YouGov poll of 3,429 adults on Friday suggested 27 per cent would be happy to see him return to office, compared with 52 per cent who did not like the idea.
Conservative voters were more favourable, with 25 per cent saying they would be happy and 31 per cent would be very happy.
However, 13 per cent of Tory voters said they would be very unhappy and 8 per cent fairly unhappy.