Boris Johnson pulls out of Tory leadership race but Penny Mordaunt will not withdraw

• ​Camilla Tominey: Why the Boris show will go on

• Jeremy Hunt endorses Rishi Sunak

• Boris Johnson's Tory leadership statement in full

• Steve Baker joins the 'big beasts' ready for Rishi

• In full: Rishi Sunak's leadership announcement

• Join our Telegraph Politics WhatsApp group

Boris Johnson has dramatically pulled out the race for 10 Downing Street after admitting he cannot unite the warring Conservative Party.

But Penny Mordaunt - Rishi Sunak's only remaining rival in the race to become the next prime minister - signalled she would not withdraw from the process.

Mr Johnson had the public support of 59 MPs but required 100 to continue in the contest.

The race is now wide open for Mr Sunak, the former chancellor, who has more than 140 Tory MPs backing him. Ms Mordaunt lags behind with the public support of 26.

Mr Johnson said he had "reached out" to leadership rivals Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt to see if they could work together in the national interest, but it had not proved possible.

In a statement, he insisted he had secured the 100 nominations needed to get onto the ballot paper - and that if he stood there was a "very good chance" he would be back in Downing Street by the end of the week.

He went on: "But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.

"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny - because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest - we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.

"Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds."

While Mr Sunak is now the clear favourite, a source from Penny Mordaunt's campaign said: she was "still running" for leader.

"Penny is the unifying candidate who is most likely to keep the wings of the Conservative Party together and polling shows that she is the most likely candidate to hold onto the seats the Conservative Party gained in 2019," they said.

"Ed Balls, shadow cabinet ministers and Labour advisers have all said Penny is the candidate Keir Starmer fears most."

Mr Sunak said he would always be "grateful" to Mr Johnson over Brexit, the vaccine rollout and the response to Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, adding: "Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad."

12:06 AM

That's all for this week...

At the start of this week, Liz Truss was still convinced she would fight "the next election" as prime minister, Jeremy Hunt had yet to tear up swathes of her mini-Budget, and Boris Johnson was on holiday.

Since then, Ms Truss resigned after snatching abject political defeat from the jaws of a Commons victory, Mr Hunt reversed a number of her key leadership pledges, and Mr Johnson was on the cusp of the most extraordinary political comeback in modern history - until concluding the Tory party would be ungovernable on his return.

Rishi Sunak, who all week has been the favourite to succeed Ms Truss, easily leads the way with nominations from Tory MPs. Penny Mordaunt, the Commons leader, insisted on Sunday night she would stay in the race, but it is not clear whether she will have enough support from her backbenches to even make it onto a decisive ballot.

Whoever triumphs, the in-tray for Britain's next prime minister has rarely, if ever, looked so stark. Inevitably, there will be calls for them to go to the ballot box as the Tories move onto their third prime minister since the 2019 general election, all at a time of historic unpopularity for the party.

Nobody can truly guess where the Conservatives or the country will go from here. One possibility is a coronation for Mr Sunak, rejected by the members only last month. Another is a truncated run-off between the former chancellor and Ms Mordaunt, leaving members with less than 72 hours to make up their minds about who will hold the highest office in the land.

My colleague Jack Maidment will be back early tomorrow to bring you all the latest.

11:50 PM

Sir James Duddridge breaks for Rishi Sunak

Another turn up for the books on an extraordinary night of British politics.

Sir James Duddridge, who ran Boris Johnson's campaign, has now joined Tory colleagues in coalescing behind Rishi Sunak:

11:27 PM

What happens next: How will the new prime minister be announced?

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has ruled himself out of the Conservative leadership contest, leaving Rishi Sunak in prime position to take the top job.

Mr Sunak has more than 140 Tory MPs backing him while Penny Mordaunt lags behind with the public support of 26. All candidates need at least 100 Tory MPs to be able to make the ballot by Monday afternoon.

Rishi Sunak this morning declared his candidacy for the race to take over the leadership of the Conservative party, insisting that he will lead with integrity.

However, source from Ms Mordaunt's campaign said she would not be pulling out of the race despite the news that Mr Johnson had pulled out.

Phoebe Southworth and Nick Gutteridge explain what comes next

11:17 PM

'He's complex, he's fearless, he's Boris. And he'll always be a friend'

Johnny Mercer - who has endorsed Rishi Sunak - praised Boris Johnson in the wake of his withdrawal from the Tory leadership ring tonight:

11:13 PM

Pound up sharply in early trading

The pound was up sharply in early Asia trading after Mr Johnson dropped out, rallying as much as 1.0 per cent to $1.1409 on expectations that a potential Sunak premiership would be better qualified at trying to fix the nation's finances.

11:04 PM

'Impossible' to avoid going to the country, says Nadine Dorries

It is now "impossible" to avoid a general election, Nadine Dorries has said.

"Boris would have won the members' vote -  [he] already had a mandate from the people," Ms Dorries wrote in her latest musings on Twitter.

"Rishi and Penny, despite requests from Boris refused to unite which would have made governing utterly impossible.  Penny actually asked him to step aside for her.

"It will now be impossible to avoid a general election."

10:59 PM

Boris Johnson's final roll of the dice

It was as he sat with Rishi Sunak, face-to-face for 60 minutes with no one else in the room, that Boris Johnson rolled the dice for the last time.

One was the former chancellor whose resignation ultimately felled Mr Johnson. The other, an ousted prime minister whose backers had blocked Mr Sunak’s path to power.

Barely a word had been passed between Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson since their relationship imploded in July.

Yet on Saturday night, the two biggest names in Tory politics agreed to down tools and meet, with the keys to Number 10 the prize on the table.

The inside story of the Granita moment that never was

10:53 PM

'A unifying figure'

Alex Burghart, the minister for growth, has thrown his weight behind Rishi Sunak.

Mr Burghart had previously not expressed a preference for the next Tory leader and prime minister.

But quoting Kemi Badenoch's endorsement of Mr Sunak last night, in which she said the party needed a "unifying figure to do what's right for the UK", he said: "I agree. I'm backing Rishi."

10:48 PM

We need closer ties with France, says Penny Mordaunt

Penny Mordaunt promised closer ties with Emmanuel Macron's France tonight as part of her planned crackdown on Channel crossings.

"The rules governing all of this are completely unfit for the world we live in today – we need a new diplomatic narrative," Ms Mordaunt told the i newspaper.

"I will work hard to further strengthen a relationship with France and President Macron, and between us we will seek to make significant cuts in the number of attempted crossings”.

10:45 PM

Labour calls for election

Labour has repeated its call for a general election, writes Tony Diver, our Whitehall Correspondent.

Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, argued that Mr Sunak would be elected "without him saying a single word about how he would govern".

10:42 PM

We risk looking like banana republic, warns Chris Bryant

Britain would look like a "banana republic" if Rishi Sunak became prime minister tomorrow, the Labour chairman of the standards committee has claimed.

Chris Bryant wrote: "If Rishi Sunak becomes PM without a single interview or a smidgin of scrutiny, let alone a public vote, the British electoral system will look no more democratic than a banana republic.

"He will have no mandate. And that is disgraceful."

Paul Holmes, the Tory MP for Eastleigh, replied by asking: "Did you say this about Gordon Brown? #justsaying"

10:39 PM

Rishi Sunak set to become PM as Boris Johnson pulls out of Tory leadership race

Rishi Sunak is set to become prime minister after Boris Johnson dropped out of the race to be the next Conservative Party leader, writes Ben Riley-Smith.

In a 300-word statement issued tonight, Mr Johnson said he had concluded that even if he won the contest he did not have enough support among Tory MPs to govern.

Mr Johnson said: “I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds. I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

The decision to withdraw from the race reversed indications from his campaign that he was determined to stand, in what would have been a remarkable comeback. However Mr Johnson made clear in his statement he has not given up on another tilt at Number 10 in the future, insisting he remains the Tory best placed to win the next election.

Read the full story here

10:31 PM

Breaking: Rishi Sunak praises Boris Johnson

10:29 PM

Jeremy Hunt: Why I’m backing Rishi Sunak for prime minister

Over eight decades ago, Winston Churchill offered the country "blood, toil, tears and sweat", Jeremy Hunt writes for the Telegraph tonight. That searing honesty in the face of an existential threat was one of the greatest moments of leadership in our history. Because he told the truth, the country listened, believed him and followed him.

Now is a different moment. But the same principles apply. The British people want leaders who level with them in a crisis such as the one we now face.

Our public finances, market credibility and international reputation have taken a serious blow. To restore stability and confidence, we need a leader who can be trusted to make difficult choices. We also need someone who can explain those choices to members of the public who are worried about jobs, mortgages and public services.

We have a leader who can do just that in Rishi Sunak.

Jeremy Hunt: Sunak can make the choices Britain needs

10:25 PM

Breaking: Penny is not pulling out

A source from Penny Mordaunt's campaign says: "Penny is still running to be the leader of the Conservative Party.

"Penny is the unifying candidate who is most likely to keep the wings of the Conservative Party together and polling shows that she is the most likely candidate to hold onto the seats the Conservative Party gained in 2019.

"Ed Balls, shadow cabinet ministers and Labour advisers have all said Penny is the candidate Keir Starmer fears most."

10:18 PM

Pound rises in wake of Johnson news

The pound has sustained its gains in the wake of the news Boris Johnson has pulled out of the Conservative leadership contest:

10:13 PM

Boris Johnson ally breaks silence

Sir James Duddridge, a close ally of Boris Johnson who had been working on his campaign, has tweeted:

10:02 PM

Nigel Farage: This is a gift to Labour

Rishi Sunak "will not hold the Red Wall", former Ukip and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has said.

"Labour will be pleased," Mr Farage wrote.

10:01 PM

'All hell will break loose'

Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary, said Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt were both "risk-averse" and Britain had "lost a great prime minister" in Boris Johnson.

"If Rishi becomes automatically prime minister by Tuesday, I think all hell will break loose because he has no mandate from the people," Ms Dorries told LBC.

"He lost the leadership election with Liz Truss, he hasn't won this one, he won't have gone to the members for a vote. And I think it will be very, very difficult to sustain the pressure not to go to a general election. He had no mandate whatsoever to be prime minister of this country."

09:59 PM

Sunak camp accused of 'desperation' by Johnson ally

Michael Fabricant claimed in the past few minutes Rishi Sunak's camp was "desperately ringing round now to try and get the Boris supporters".

"He knows the odds are if it goes to the party membership, he probably won't win," Mr Fabricant wrote.

Something of a wake-up call for anyone who thought the blue-on-blue would end with Mr Johnson's decision to withdraw his candidacy.

09:56 PM

Breaking: Lord Goldsmith calls for general election

Lord Goldsmith appeared to suggest the next Tory leader and prime minister must call a general election.

""I don’t see how we can have a third new prime minister - and a policy programme that is miles away from the original manifesto - without going to the country," he said.

"Conservative MPs understandably won’t want to and are legally not obliged to, but it will be morally unavoidable."

09:51 PM

Despite his dramatic exit, the Boris show will go on and on

You’ve got to hand it to Nus Ghani, the Tory MP for Wealden in East Sussex, writes Camilla Tominey.

In tweeting her party leadership declaration with the words: "Penny and Rishi are credible candidates and a credit to the party", the science minister actually thought she could make Boris Johnson disappear.

"I’m backing Rishi - leave party division behind and focus on the country."

Yet like former home secretary Suella Braverman’s suggestion that backing Sunak could somehow end the party’s "parochial or nativist fantasies", Conservatives are living in a dreamworld if they think the Tory psychodrama ends with Mr Johnson’s withdrawal from this leadership race.

Camilla Tominey: The soap opera won't end any time soon

09:46 PM

'Thoughtful, wise and statesmanlike'

Lucy Allan, who backed Boris Johnson's prime ministerial bid, said he "has done the right thing for the country" tonight.

And Sir Geoffrey Cox - supportive of Rishi Sunak this time around despite going for Mr Johnson in 2019 - praised a "thoughtful, wise and statesmanlike decision... reflecting the qualities that made so many of us originally put our faith in him three years ago".

09:44 PM

Another Johnson backer gets behind Sunak

David Morris, the MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, wrote on Twitter:

"Now Boris Johnson  has pulled out of the contest, I will be joining Rishi Sunak's team. Rishi is experienced, competent and will make a great PM. He has the support of all wings of the Conservative Party and will be able to unite the party and provide stability for the country."

09:41 PM

A change of heart

It was only this morning Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, confirmed he was endorsing Boris Johnson to return to Downing Street.

Just 36 hours into his time as Mr Johnson's replacement chancellor, Mr Zahawi had told him to quit as it became apparent he could no longer govern effectively. But urging his return three months on, Mr Zahawi took heart from the prospect of a more contrite "Boris 2.0" who had learned from his mistakes.

In a further twist, Mr Zahawi said: "A day is a long time in politics.

"Given today's news, it's clear that we should turn to  Rishi Sunak to become our next Prime Minister. Rishi is immensely talented, will command a strong majority in the parliamentary Conservative Party, and will have my full support and loyalty."

09:37 PM

'We are not taking anything for granted'

A Sunak campaign source has said tonight:

"We are not taking anything for granted. Rishi will be continuing to talk to colleagues tomorrow morning before nomination papers go in, and discussing how best to unite the party and take the country forward."

09:37 PM

Michael Fabricant switches loyalties to Penny Mordaunt

Michael Fabricant, the MP for Lichfield and one of Boris Johnson's most loyal supporters, said he was "deeply disappointed" Mr Johnson had opted not to stand.

He revealed in a post on Twitter just now he would be nominating Penny Mordaunt in the hope of avoiding a scenario in which Rishi Sunak automatically became prime minister.

"I abhor political coronations," Mr Fabricant wrote. "They inevitably get it wrong."

09:35 PM

Analysis: 'Them's the breaks...'

Wow. Boris Johnson has always been one to spring a surprise, but tonight's statement comes as the ultimate shock to end this most turbulent of weeks in Westminster.

Mr Johnson insisted he had 102 nominations, including a proposer and seconder, and suggested he had felt ready to face off against Rishi Sunak in a ballot of Tory members which in all likelihood would have seen him succeed and return to No 10.

But the former prime minister seems to have collided with the political reality of his prospective return - large parts of his parliamentary party have already backed Mr Sunak, including early adopters of Mr Johnson's cause in 2019 and ministers who had stayed loyal to him even in the final days of his premiership.

Some even went as far as to threaten to resign the party whip. But none of that matters now - politics is brutal in its pace, and talk will now turn to what happens next. Short of a late surge, Penny Mordaunt is likely to crash out of the race tomorrow, leading to a coronation for Mr Sunak.

Mr Johnson did say he felt it was "simply not the right time". This, of course, leaves the door open to another run further down the line. But Britain, and a chaos-ridden Tory Party, are now looking at the prospect of Prime Minister Sunak as soon as tomorrow.

09:15 PM

Statement in full

Read Boris Johnson's statement in full

"In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament.

"I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago - and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.

"A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.

"I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 - and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow. There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members - and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.

"But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.

"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny - because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest - we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.

"Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds.

"I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time."

09:08 PM

Boris Johnson rules himself out

Boris Johnson has ruled himself out of running for the Tory leadership, despite claiming he had the support required to do so.

The former prime minister said: "I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 - and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.

"There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members - and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.

"But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament."

07:42 PM

The MPs who flip-flopped on Boris Johnson within three months

If a week is a long time in politics, then three months is an eternity.

So much so that many of the dozens of MPs and ministers who forced Boris Johnson out of office have had a change of heart.

From visions of "Boris 2.0" to claims that they "never" wanted him gone in the first place, numerous Conservative MPs have suddenly changed their minds about a man they once thought was "squandering goodwill" towards their party.

Here are some of those Members of Parliament who have had Damascene reconversions when faced with the prospect of electoral wipeout.

07:21 PM

New: James Heappey backs Rishi Sunak

Here is the defence minister's tweet:

07:16 PM

Labour 'won't call for confidence vote – but will push for general election'

Sir Keir Starmer will not call a vote of no confidence in the Government despite his repeated demands for a general election, a senior shadow minister said.

Lisa Nandy, the shadow levelling up secretary, said that the question of whether an election is called is "entirely up to Tory MPs" and that Labour would not lay a motion in the Commons.

Parliamentary convention dictates that the opposition can call a confidence vote at any time, but the move can backfire if the Government wins and can demonstrate it still has the support of a majority of MPs.

Ms Nandy said the "tragic fact now is that the future of this country lies in the hands of a small number of people who are currently putting party before country", as she called on the Conservatives to support Labour in calling for an election.

Labour’s position suggested that the shadow cabinet believes it could win a general election and not think enough Tory MPs would support one for it to be worthwhile holding a vote.

Tony Diver, our Whitehall Correspondent, has more

07:05 PM

'Very odd': Richard Holden hits out at Boris backers

Richard Holden, an ally of Rishi Sunak, has questioned claims from Boris Johnson's supporters the former prime minister had passed the 100 threshold.

"Very odd to brief this out again, two  days in a row," Mr Holden said in a Twitter broadside.

"It's what they briefed yesterday. What a strange thing to do. Wonder why you'd do it.

"It's almost as if they still need people and are desperate to show momentum, which they can't because no-one will publicly come out."

06:57 PM

Johnson ally says he will go to a member vote

This from Michael Fabricant, the MP for Lichfield and an ardent Boris backer:

Mr Fabricant added: "There will not be a coronation tomorrow."

06:56 PM

Sunak a 'Tory Brutus', says Arron Banks

Arron Banks, the Brexit donor and co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign, labelled Rishi Sunak a "Tory Brutus" tonight.

Replying to a tweet suggesting Boris Johnson would be watching this evening's thunderstorms and quoting Shakespeare, Mr Banks wrote: "Probably, since Rishi is a Tory Brutus.

"'There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood lead on to fame and fortune. The only problem is Caesar is back! It's the shallows of misery for Rishi, if the membership vote in this."

06:29 PM

Where Rishi Sunak stands on net zero, taxes and the cost of living

The second Conservative leadership contest has seen an almost total absence of policy discussion, writes Daniel Capurro.

Nevertheless, it is barely three months since Rishi Sunak, the front-runner, set out his stall for the premiership in his clash with Liz Truss.

Britain’s fiscal circumstances have deteriorated materially since then, but Mr Sunak revealed his instincts before Ms Truss blew up Britain's finances.

Here is a recap of Sunak's policy platform

06:11 PM

Mordaunt ally says leadership race is 'stitched up'

One of Penny Mordaunt's supporters has accused the 1922 committee of a "stitch up" to prevent "another woman" from getting on the ballot paper, reports Camilla Turner, our Chief Political Correspondent.

Heather Wheeler MP suggested that the threshold for getting on to the final ballot paper was set at 100 to prevent the Leader of the Commons from succeeding in her bid to become Prime Minister.

The MP for South Derbyshire told LBC she is "convinced" that the high number of nominations was set to keep Mr Mordaunt's name out of the final two.

Asked why she believed this, Mrs Wheeler said: "I've had one of the gentlemen say to me 'we can't have another woman can we?' And that's outrageous. That's just not acceptable. It needs to be a fair fight."

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee who agreed the rules for the contest along with the Conservative Party earlier this week, admitted it was a "high threshold" but said it would be "achievable by any serious candidate that has a realistic prospect of going through".

Report: Heather Wheeler 'convinced' threshold set deliberately

05:56 PM

Boris Johnson will be on ballot tomorrow, says ally

Boris Johnson will be on tomorrow's ballot and the paperwork has been completed, it has been reported this evening.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has sent a WhatsApp message to supporters of Mr Johnson in the past few minutes, according to the Sun's Harry Cole.

"OK everyone! Some very good news!" it reads. "Thanks to all your hard work I can confirm we have completed all the paperwork (verified all nominations, with proposer and seconder) to be on the ballot tomorrow.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! More to follow, but thank you!!!!"

05:53 PM

'The rain on Boris's parade'

In a gift to political sketchwriters, a storm has just hit Westminster and is rattling the glass in the Telegraph's parliamentary office, Tony Diver writes.

But as Boris Johnson continues his ring-round of MPs to shore up support ahead of the nominations tomorrow, one critic noted archly: "This storm is the rain on Boris's parade."

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning that is in place until tomorrow night.

By then, if Mr Johnson can't get the numbers, we might already have a new prime minister.

05:33 PM

Nigel Farage: The country is crying out for radical change

Ever since Jeremy Hunt’s reversal of the mini-budget, senior Tories have been asking "What is the point of the Conservative Party?", writes Nigel Farage.

That burning question is gaining traction. Now, as polling points to a historic election disaster, many pray that the return of Boris 'Cincinnatus' Johnson will save this 200-year-old institution's fortunes. I very much doubt it.

It can be dangerous to make political predictions, but I suspect that Johnson will emerge victorious this week. Were this to happen, he would certainly give Labour a harder run at the next election than any of his colleagues; in so doing reducing the size of Labour's all-but-inevitable majority.

This point is crucial to the future of British politics – perhaps for decades to come.

Nigel Farage: How backing Boris could yield electoral reform

05:13 PM

Watch: 'Will you be the next PM, Rishi?'

05:06 PM

Calming the markets versus election success?

As Christopher Hope, the Telegraph's Associate Editor, sees it:

05:01 PM

Is 'partygate' putting MPs off Boris Johnson?

Boris Johnson's allies are concerned that the privileges committee's inquiry into whether he misled the House over the "partygate" saga is putting MPs off backing him, writes Camilla Turner.

Some have hit out at "disinformation" that is circulating about the probe and the failure to realise that merely "misleading" the House does not amount to contempt. They point out that Erskine May, the "bible" of parliamentary procedure, states that "the making of a deliberately misleading statement [is seen] as a contempt".

Bill Cash MP said: "I think the amount of disinformation that is being put out about that committee is massive. I have heard people completely misinforming others as to what it is about.  If people want to talk about the privileges committee issue they have to talk about it with accuracy."

He went on to say that Lord Pannick's opinion, which was commissioned by the Cabinet Office and published by the Government during Mr Johnson's final few days in Downing Street, "sets out a very cogent argument which no one can really fail to take into account".

Mr Cash added: "The people who need to understand this are the MPs themselves. Over and over again I hear completely not only ill informed but deliberately misleading statements about what it's about."

• How Johnson will face three partygate grillings a week

04:47 PM

Pictured: Rishi Sunak leaves campaign headquarters

04:37 PM

The candidate Labour fears most? It has to be Penny Mordaunt

Yes, yes, I know we're all suffering from PTSD (Post Truss Stress Disorder) and it's beyond depressing to have to think about another leadership election, writes Allison Pearson.

"The funeral bak’d meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables," raged Hamlet about the mortifyingly brief gap between burying his father and his mother’s wedding. Conservative Party members who had only just put the In Liz We Truss poster in the recycling bin share his pain.

For Tory MPs who are deciding where to put their crosses in tomorrow’s leadership ballot, there is only one consideration that matters: Pick the leader most feared by your enemy.

And that person is not Rishi Sunak or even Boris Johnson, whatever the Bring Back Boris (BBB) brigade may claim.

Allison Pearson: Why Mordaunt should be walking into No 10

04:26 PM

New: Ministry of Defence statement on Wallace/Shoigu call

Follow the latest Ukraine news on our dedicated live blog

04:14 PM

Theresa's sweet life away from the drama

Away from the psychodramas of Westminster, Theresa May opened a new chocolate shop in her Maidenhead constituency this weekend.

Asked about the Tory battle royale to succeed Liz Truss, Mrs May quipped: "I'm glad I've moved on from all that!"

04:08 PM

'Why I cannot support Boris Johnson'

There is something rather enticing about the prospect of Johnson facing 'Captain Hindsight' across the despatch box again for a déjà vu edition of PMQs, writes Miriam Cates.

Boris had many strengths as Prime Minister and led our party to a great election victory three years ago.

But at this moment the nation's requirement is not for a great entertainer or a great campaigner; rather we need a period of political stability in order to address the serious economic circumstances that we face.

That is why I have thrown my support behind Rishi Sunak, one of the most gifted and able people I have ever met.

Miriam Cates: I liked Johnson - but he failed on immigration and culture wars

03:55 PM

Rishi Sunak will be dogged by partygate probe too, Boris Johnson tells backers

Boris Johnson has told his supporters that Rishi Sunak would be dogged by the "partygate" probe too, The Telegraph can reveal.

In an early morning Zoom call with loyalists, Mr Johnson was asked how his backers should address the issue of the privileges committee's inquiry into whether he misled the House of Commons over lockdown gatherings in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson said that he is "very confident" about the process and that he will respect its outcome, according to one MP on the call.

"He said he's got a pretty solid case, the legal advice from Lord Pannick has been really clear as well," they said. "They could call others as well, they could call Labour, they could call Rishi, it would never end."

Sunak would also face party probe, claims Johnson

03:52 PM

Who are all the shy Boris supporters?

Boris Johnson's supporters are still convinced they have already reached the nomination threshold of 100 MPs despite only 58 publicly supporting him, Tony Diver reports.

One Johnson backer told The Telegraph they "just know" the line has already been crossed, suggesting at least 40 MPs have pledged their support but kept quiet about it.

"He’s clearly going for it - he’s clearly got the hundred," said the MP.

But that line is looking increasingly implausible as the afternoon drags on and Mr Johnson holds meetings with his rivals in an attempt to broker a deal.

If he had the numbers, why wouldn't he tell them to go on the record and encourage others to do the same?

03:26 PM

Nus Ghani: We have tested the public's patience enough

Boris Johnson was conspicuous by his absence from Nus Ghani's description of "credible candidates" as the science minister endorsed Rishi Sunak for leader:

03:18 PM

Penny Mordaunt resists Boris Johnson's push to get her to drop out

Penny Mordaunt has rejected Boris Johnson’s attempt to get her to drop out of the Tory leadership race and back him during a phone call, The Telegraph can reveal.

The former prime minister talked to Ms Mordaunt, his leadership rival, early on Sunday afternoon as he seeks to build his support base before the Monday 2pm nominations deadline.

The Telegraph understands that Ms Mordaunt noted that most of her supporters would end up backing Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, rather than Mr Johnson if she quit the race.

Ms Mordaunt, the Commons Leader, is also understood to have offered her own suggestion - that Mr Johnson should drop out instead and leave her to face Mr Sunak alone.

Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor, has the scoop

03:12 PM

'Existential crisis' faces Tories if Johnson returns, warns Andrew Mitchell

The Tory Party would find itself in an "existential crisis" if Boris Johnson returned as prime minister, Andrew Mitchell has warned.

Mr Mitchell, a senior Tory MP and former Cabinet minister who is backing Rishi Sunak, noted the circumstances under which Mr Johnson was forced out of Downing Street in the summer.

"He was, after all, the prime minister from whose team no less than 60 of my colleagues resigned and for him to come into office now... And that's before you think about the incredibly important and very, very serious inquiry by the privileges committee into whether he misled the House of Commons.

"Now, you know, he may be entirely innocent, but the fact that that inquiry is taking place with all the seriousness involved rules him out, in my view, entirely from any question of coming back as prime minister."

03:05 PM

Sunak leads Johnson with the public

Rishi Sunak's lead over Boris Johnson among the British public has grown, new polling by Opinium shows.

Mr Sunak commands 45 per cent of public support, compared to Mr Johnson's 27 per cent. A further 27 per cent of those who were polled were not sure.

Mr Sunak was up one percentage point on data from the same pollster on Friday, while Mr Johnson fell by four points.

On the economy, some 40 per cent of the 1,005 adults surveyed said a government led by Mr Sunak would be better at handling the economy, versus 17 per cent for a government led by Mr Johnson. Twenty-nine per cent said neither, and a further 14 per cent said they were not sure.

02:59 PM

Boris Johnson 'will keep Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor' if he becomes PM

Boris Johnson is telling allies he wants to keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor if he wins the Tory leadership race, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

In an attempt at economic reassurance, the former prime minister is letting it be known that he hopes to keep his old leadership rival in the Treasury.

The message is being interpreted as a push to make clear that he would do what it takes to stabilise the markets, including tightening public spending.

However it is unclear if Mr Hunt, who refused to serve as Mr Johnson’s defence secretary in 2019, would agree to stay on in such circumstances.

Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor, has the story

02:40 PM

The game is up for Boris Johnson, claims Sunak ally

Former minister Andrew Murrison, who is backing Rishi Sunak, warned Boris Johnson "the game's up" for his leadership hopes after Suella Braverman endorsed Mr Sunak.

"Only Rishi can unite the Conservatives - left, right and centre," Dr Murrison wrote.

He also warned of "chaos" in the event of Mr Johnson returning to No 10 after Simon Clarke, the Levelling Up Secretary, insisted there would be no vote to cancel the privileges committee (see 11.35am).

"That's precisely what he attempted in the Patterson affair, the beginning of the end for many of us. Decent MPs couldn’t stomach it then and won’t when he tries it again. That means chaos."

02:22 PM

The markets also have a vote, says George Osborne

The former Chancellor tells the Andrew Neil Show:

02:16 PM

George Osborne: Why it's going to be Sunak

George Osborne will make the case for Rishi Sunak becoming the next prime minister in tonight's episode of the Andrew Neil Show.

Mr Osborne will say: "Two-thirds of MPs will, I think, back Rishi Sunak in the end when they do the final vote, and therefore Rishi Sunak  commands the party in Parliament. That's how our parliamentary democracy works.

"That is critical for market confidence, we are in an economic crisis. Britain needs a prime minister who is going to restore confidence in our institutions and the credibility of our economic policy.

"Boris Johnson can't do it anyway and he certainly can't do it without the support of the party in Parliament and that's why it's going to be Rishi Sunak."

02:11 PM

Analysis: Why Braverman's endorsement matters

Ms Baverman's endorsement is especially important given her political positioning and Mr Sunak's attempt to convince colleagues he can unite the party after months of civil war, writes Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor.

During her run for the leadership earlier this summer, Ms Braverman became a rallying point for Conservative MPs on the Right of the party who were opposing Mr Sunak. In that bid, she called for tighter immigration controls, for the UK to leave the European Convention of Human Rights and for a stronger push back on political correctness.

Ms Braverman ended up backing Ms Truss and was appointed as home secretary, but the pair fell out over Ms Truss's hopes to issue more visas for foreign workers to boost economic growth.  Ms Braverman resigned last week after leaking policy papers about migration to a Tory MP. She used her resignation letter to appear to urge Ms Truss to quit.

Her endorsement follows other leading Brexiteers coming out for Mr Sunak this weekend.  Kemi Badenoch, another Tory leadership rival this summer who was on the party's Right, endorsed Mr Sunak rather than Mr Johnson.

Other Brexiteers to do so this weekend include Sir Geoffrey Cox, Theresa Villiers, Steve Baker, Lord Frost, David Davis and Steve Barclay.

02:05 PM

Why Suella Braverman is backing Rishi Sunak

I remember election night 2019, when Boris led us to victory, and brought an end to the chaos of the post-Brexit parliament, writes Suella Braverman. He held together a remarkably broad coalition. He presented a clear and powerful message to the British people: ‘get Brexit done’. They voted for him in unprecedented numbers.

Suella Braverman: We cannot indulge in fantasies

01:59 PM

Breaking: James Cleverly endorses Boris Johnson

James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, endorsed Boris Johnson in the past few moments.

Mr Cleverly, a former Tory party chairman, said: "The last few weeks show that being prime minister is tough and no other job in government is quite like it.

"I know Boris has learned lessons from his time in No 10 and will ensure the focus is on the needs of the country from day one. I will be supporting him to return to the role of prime minister.."

01:57 PM

Another huge boost for Rishi Sunak

The backing of Suella Braverman, the former attorney general and home secretary, is the latest in a string of high profile endorsements of Rishi Sunak from the Tory Right.

Her support comes after Kemi Badenoch, the International Trade Secretary, also endorsed Mr Sunak in a newspaper column last night.

Both Ms Badenoch and Ms Braverman ran for the party leadership over the summer. After they were eliminated, Ms Braverman would go on to back Liz Truss while Ms Badenoch opted to remain neutral.

Ms Braverman is a darling of the Tory Right and she is the latest of a string of Brexiteers to have thrown their weight behind Mr Sunak's leadership bid, which he formally announced on social media this morning.

This shows the scale of the challenge facing Boris Johnson, who might have hoped for the support of the eurosceptic wing of his party. But in extraordinary times, Ms Braverman is looking beyond factions - and insists only Mr Sunak can build a team to "compromise and unite". His team will have all the more reason for confidence today.

01:49 PM

Breaking: Suella Braverman backs Rishi Sunak

Suella Braverman has backed Rishi Sunak to be the next Conservative leader instead of Boris Johnson, saying now is not the time for "fantasies", writes Ben Riley-Smith.

In an exclusive article for The Telegraph, the former home secretary urges fellow Tory MPs not to be "naive" as they consider who should lead the country.

Ms Braverman says that Mr Sunak, the former chancellor, is the only candidate who can unite the party by working with all of its different factions.

The endorsement is a major boost for Mr Sunak, given Ms Braverman is a leading figure on the Right of the Tory Party who backed Liz Truss rather than Mr Sunak last summer.

The article also confirms that Ms Braverman will not seek the leadership herself, after days of considering whether to join the contest.

01:37 PM

Jeremy Hunt’s Halloween budget could hit high earners with £20bn of tax rises

Jeremy Hunt is considering up to £20 billion of tax rises in the Halloween budget, with high earners to bear the brunt of his quest to balance the books, writes Nick Gutteridge.

The Chancellor has been told by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that there is still a £40 billion black hole in the nation’s finances, even after he axed almost all of the mini-Budget.

He is looking to raise as much as half that amount from putting up taxes, reducing the need for painful and highly controversial cuts to public spending.

Mr Hunt could seek to reform generous capital gains rules and bring them more into line with general taxation, bringing in around £3.5 billion a year.

Read the full story here

01:23 PM

It's a numbers game for Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson was asked during the 8am meeting how his supporters should respond when they are challenged on how many nominations he has and whether he will actually reach the threshold to get on to the final ballot paper, writes Camilla Turner

The former Prime Minister's backers insist he has already got more than 100 endorsements - even though by Sunday morning just over 50 had publicly declared their support.

Mr Johnson is understood to have told MPs that his numbers were "significantly higher" than what has been reported but that not everyone has "made a song and dance about it".

But another of his supporters admitted that the campaign is "being a bit cagey" about the numbers. They said: "There are quite a few that support him in the whips' office, committee chairs, others who can't declare because of their positions. Then there are a few others who are waiting to see which way the land lies".

01:17 PM

'Upbeat and keen'

Boris Johnson appeared "very upbeat and very keen" as he spoke to around 50 of his core supporters on a Zoom call at 8am this morning, writes Camilla Turner.

The former Prime Minister used the call to acknowledge that there had been "mistakes in the past" under his watch but said that he would "learn" from this and "make sure we get everything right" this time, one MP on the call said.

Mr Johnson briefed his colleagues on the approach of his campaign, explaining that "we are not resorting to attacking other sides, no name calling or saying things will be a disaster [if he is not elected]".

Instead, the approach should be "very conciliatory" and "very unity based".

01:01 PM

Johnson and Sunak neck and neck amongst Tory councillors

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are neck and neck in terms of who Tory councillors want to become the next prime minister, a poll reveals.

The survey shows in a straight choice between the pair, 48 per cent prefer the ex-chancellor and 45 per cent the former prime minister.

It also reveals grassroots members of the party have "buyer’s remorse" over Liz Truss, with half who voted for her saying she was right to quit.

The poll of 241 councillors, carried out by Savanta ComRes for The Sunday Telegraph, suggests if the race goes to the membership it could be close.

Nick Gutteridge, our Political Correspondent, has the story

12:53 PM

Have your say: Who should be the next prime minister?

12:49 PM

'I'm really ready for Rishi'

Matt Vickers, the MP for the 'Red Wall' seat of Stockton South, has opted to endorse Rishi Sunak over Boris Johnson.

Mr Vickers wrote: "I stood by Boris till the very end and am honoured to call him a friend. I'm confident, and have told him, that I'm sure he has a huge role to play in the future of our country.

"The next Prime Minister will have to tackle unprecedented economic challenges and unite our country and our party. I believe that Rishi Sunak is the best person to take on today's challenges. I'm really ready for Rishi!"

12:45 PM

Will 'Boris 2.0' be all that different to the old one?

When Boris Johnson first ran to be Tory leader I had a long list of reasons why his critics were wrong, even deranged, writes Fraser Nelson. Dig up his old columns if you must, I'd say, but judge him by his achievements. Twice elected mayor of a Labour city, delivering lower taxes and smoother government.

This was due to a superpower: his ability to find and delegate to brilliant people, who ran things superbly. He did it when doing my job as an editor. He did it in London. He’d do it in No 10.

How wrong I was. He panicked and spent, running up a bill so big it may yet bankrupt the country. "He’s not the leader we thought he’d be," one of his advisers told me, before quietly resigning.

Johnson is back in the race because he has so many inimitable qualities. He exerts a gravitational pull with conversations reverting back to him: no one else has this force.

He engages voters who tend to regard all other candidates, in all parties, with contempt. His optimism is not just contagious, but rational: he can see ways out of problems that elude others. Hence his electoral victories. Having won an historic landslide in 2019, he has a strong claim to complete the time millions of voters gave him. But then we have to remember why he quit.

Fraser Nelson: Why did Boris abandon his principles?

12:25 PM

Penny Mordaunt backer accuses 1922 of 'stitch-up'

Heather Wheeler, the Tory MP for South Derbyshire, accused the 1922 Committee of a "stitch-up" this morning as she claimed the party was trying to keep Penny Mordaunt - her preferred candidate - off the final ballot.

She told LBC's Andrew Castle: "I've had one of the gentlemen say to me 'we can't have another woman, can we?' and that's outrageous. So that's just not acceptable.

"It needs to be a fair fight, I want Penny's name on the ballot and I wanna have a vote from all of the members."

Asked about her claims of sexism, Ms Wheeler replied: "There's always going to be one, isn't there? Fortunately, I wasn't really expecting him to vote for us anyway. But I thought I'd give it a go."

Ms Wheeler also insisted Ms Mordaunt's total endorsements were "way north" of her public figure of 24.

12:13 PM

Another sign of trouble for Johnson?

Chloe Smith's endorsement of Rishi Sunak comes after she backed his prospective rival Boris Johnson three years ago:

Is this a sign Mr Johnson has less support from his parliamentary colleagues than he may have priced in?

Or will there be enough "shy Boris" backers to get him over the line regardless, at which stage he would be the clear favourite to win the Tory membership vote?

12:05 PM

Another Cabinet endorsement for Sunak

Chloe Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is Rishi Sunak's latest high-profile backer.

"I intend to back Rishi to be prime minister, acting in the national interest and achieving the stability and opportunity that our nation needs," Ms Smith said this lunchtime.

She endorsed Liz Truss during the last leadership contest, saying she had "a clear record of delivery and will apply deep experience to serving the country... she can unite our party and win the next election".

12:00 PM

Nadhim Zahawi declares support for 'Boris 2.0'

Nadhim Zahawi has declared his support for "Boris 2.0" to return as Prime Minister, as he becomes the latest Cabinet minister to throw his weight behind the former premier.

Meanwhile Steve Baker, a Northern Ireland Office minister, said on Sunday that Boris Johnson returning to Downing Street would be a "guaranteed disaster" as he backed Rishi Sunak.

The latest round of public endorsements come as those in Mr Johnson’s camp insist he has the number of backers to make it over the 100 nomination threshold to make it onto the final ballot paper.

Mr Sunak - who officially launched his leadership bid this morning, saying he has a "clear plan to fix the biggest problems we face" - has already achieved public support from well over 100 of his colleagues.

But by this morning Mr Johnson was nowhere near this, with just over 50 MPs having openly backed him.

Camilla Turner, our Chief Political Correspondent, has more

11:43 AM

It's all to play for, insists Penny Mordaunt's team

Insiders in the Penny Mordaunt campaign are insisting that she will not drop out of the race today, meaning that all is still to play for in the three leadership camps, writes Ben Riley-Smith.

"There are a lot of people who really don’t want Rishi versus Boris," a Mordaunt backer told The Telegraph.

They insisted the Commons leader would keep fighting for MPs right up to the deadline of 2pm tomorrow.

11:35 AM

'No vote to cancel privileges committee'

The Levelling Up Secretary accused Steve Baker of a "straw man" argument over the privileges committee investigation into Boris Johnson.

A seven-strong committee of MPs will begin to hear oral evidence from witnesses in their attempt to decide whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament, and this could ultimately recommend he was suspended from the House of Commons.

"I’m afraid because of the privileges committee vote, Boris Johnson would be a guaranteed disaster," Mr Baker told Sky News this morning.

But in a tweet a few moments ago, Simon Clarke said: "Boris is absolutely explicit there will be no vote to cancel the privileges committee. This is a straw man."

11:31 AM

Boris Johnson 'will continue to seek Tory leadership'

Boris Johnson has told supporters he has not struck a deal with Rishi Sunak and will continue to seek the Tory leadership, The Daily Telegraph understands.

On an 8am call with supportive Tory MPs the former prime minister urged them to hit the phones to convince colleagues to back his campaign.

The message came after Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak held face-to-face talks in London last night as they squared off over their bids to become the next prime minister.

Both Jacob Rees-Mogg and Dominic Raab, two of the most prominent backers of Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak respectively, yesterday said no deal had been struck.

Mr Rees-Mogg, speaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, said: "I have been speaking to Boris Johnson, and clearly he's going to stand, there's a great deal of support for him".

Tony Diver and Ben Riley-Smith have more

11:24 AM

New: Grant Shapps backs Rishi Sunak

Mr Shapps, the new Home Secretary, thinks it is the former chancellor who will excel in No 10:

11:23 AM

Could serving under Rishi Sunak be Boris’s path back to power?

There is some concern that it may be too soon for Boris Johnson to return to Downing Street because of the ongoing Privileges Committee investigation into his conduct, Tony Diver writes.

But there is also a feeling he could take a job in Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet and wait until the investigation finishes, before launching a fresh bid next year.

One MP who is undecided on who to support and is speaking to both candidates said they were "not sure that there were any offers made" in their meeting yesterday but that it may be in Mr Johnson’s interests not to re-enter Downing Street just yet.

"Each will want their own job and the other is not going to give way to them at this stage," they said. "I’m not sure this is the best time for Boris, personally because of all that is going on.

"He would rather have hoped to be clear of all of this, but it might be in his interests to take a job for a while, get through all of this and see where it goes. “Like everything else in politics, it’s about taking your chances where they come."

11:19 AM

The momentum is with Rishi Sunak

Some 21 Tory MPs have publicly endorsed Rishi Sunak in the past 24 hours, Telegraph analysis shows, compared to just four new endorsements of Boris Johnson.

Mr Sunak, who this morning confirmed his Conservative leadership candidacy, has been endorsed by ministers including Kemi Badenoch, the International Trade Secretary, and Steve Baker, a minister of state at the Northern Ireland Office.

He has also shored up support from the Right of his party - including Tom Hunt, a member of the Common Sense Group of Tory MPs, and Sir Desmond Swayne.

Boris Johnson's new public backers include Nadhim Zahawi, his former chancellor during the summer, and 'Red Wall' MPs Lee Anderson and Ben Bradley.

11:01 AM

Has the court of Carrie abandoned Boris?

One of Carrie Johnson's best friends appears to be supporting Rishi Sunak in the leadership contest, writes Tony Diver.

Nimco Ali, an anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) campaigner who has often been described as Mrs Johnson's best friend, retweeted Mr Sunak's announcement he was running for the party leadership.

Ms Ali is thought to be one of the "court of Carrie" - a selection of political advisers, commentators and campaigners who lent their support to Boris Johnson because of their loyalty to her.

Many of them are also linked to Michael Gove, who has fallen out with Mr Johnson and is now causing mischief on the Tory backbenches. Mr Gove has not yet declared his support for any candidate.

10:57 AM

Theresa Villiers backs Rishi Sunak

Theresa Villiers is backing Rishi Sunak's leadership run, Christopher Hope can reveal.

Ms Villiers, a staunch Brexiteer who refused to serve under Theresa May, is the latest in a string of endorsements for Mr Sunak on the Right of the party including Kemi Badenoch, Lord Frost and Steve Baker.

"To take our country forward, we need a Prime Minister with the ability, experience and character to grip the big issues we face. Rishi Sunak is the best candidate for the job," Ms Villiers said.

"That is why I shall be nominating him to become the next leader of the Conservative Party. There is a global economic crisis, and we must move on from the political turbulence of the last two months.

"We’ve got to get this choice right. Rishi has stewarded our economy through very tough times, including the pandemic. His track record of delivery and sound judgement should give confidence to voters, to businesses, and to markets."

10:47 AM

Sir Geoffrey Cox endorses Rishi Sunak

Sir Geoffrey Cox, the Tory MPs for Torridge and West Devon, has endorsed Rishi Sunak in the wake of his leadership announcement.

"I shall be supporting Rishi Sunak who is now the best suited to manage the peculiar demands of these times and the best qualified to produce the credible and coherent government this country needs," he said.

"It is time to get back to serious government."

10:44 AM

Sunak 'hiked taxes on hardworking families'

The Liberal Democrats reacted to Rishi Sunak announcing his candidacy with criticism of his National Insurance rise in April.

Daisy Cooper, the party's deputy leader, said: "Rishi Sunak cannot be trusted to steer our country through this cost of living crisis.

"He was the Chancellor that hiked taxes on hardworking families and lost billions of pounds of taxpayers' money to Covid contract fraud. Evidently, the Conservative Party simply doesn't trust the British public to decide who governs Britain.

"The future of our country should be in the hands of voters, not the Conservative MPs who have caused all this chaos. We need a general election now."

10:43 AM

Analysis: All eyes on Johnson now

After the public backing of more than 115 Tory MPs, it was only a matter of time until Rishi Sunak formally declared his leadership ambitions.

In a statement, Mr Sunak suggests he is the only candidate able to "unite our party" after some Tory MPs suggested the return of Boris Johnson would be too divisive.

Mr Sunak was rejected by the party membership over summer but is now on the way to a remarkable political comeback of his own.

He vowed to follow through on the landslide-winning 2019 general election manifesto and promised "integrity and professionalism", which could be seen as another broadside at Mr Johnson in the wake of the partygate scandals and Chris Pincher affair.

For all the frantic speculation around a possible deal overnight, Mr Sunak is set on No 10. And all eyes are now on Mr Johnson to see if he follows suit.

10:38 AM

In full: Rishi Sunak's declaration

Rishi Sunak MP

10:32 AM

Breaking: Rishi Sunak declares

10:32 AM

Boris Johnson may keep Jeremy Hunt, suggests ally

An ally of Boris Johnson suggested he may keep Jeremy Hunt as his chancellor if he returned as prime minister.

Asked whether Mr Hunt should be kept on to avoid further market turbulence, Chris Heaton-Harris told Times Radio: "I think you’ve answered your own question, I think that’s the right answer."

However he also insisted there had "been no jobs offered at all in our campaign" in the wake of high-profile endorsements from former Cabinet ministers.

10:22 AM

Rishi Sunak wants 'broadest possible coalition'

Rishi Sunak will announce his candidacy "when he feels he's got the support he needs", one of his backers has said.

Robert Jenrick told Times Radio: "He wants to speak to as many parliamentary colleagues as possible and secure the broadest possible coalition."

He said his best advice to Boris Johnson was "now is not the moment to return", adding: "He's going to face an extremely painful privileges committee investigation within weeks.

"That investigation is likely to lead to a vote in the House of Commons which would either ask Members of Parliament to overturn that committee’s findings, and we saw the result of a similar vote with the Owen Paterson affair previously, or it will lead to his removal from Parliament.

"I cannot in good faith recommend to my parliamentary colleagues that we have the shortest prime minister in political history to the first to be expelled from the House of Commons."

10:07 AM

Dominic Raab: Sunak best-placed to lead Britain

Dominic Raab said Rishi Sunak was best-placed to lead Britain forward despite the "great many positive things" achieved by Boris Johnson in office.

"I think on the fundamental calls on the economy, it's Rishi that has been right, and I think he showed for example with the furlough scheme, he's got the experience to deliver," Mr Raab told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

"But of course, I also see as a member of the conservative family that there is a political mess and we've all, as members of the conservative family, got a duty to fix it."

09:55 AM

'Rishi was right then and he's right now'

Dominic Raab rubbished suggestions of a pact between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

"I don't think there's any issue around deals here, that's not the right way to proceed," he said. "What they did have was a very good conversation about the need for unity, Iain Duncan Smith's talked about that.

"You can see from the momentum but also the range of support for Rishi that he is the best-placed."

Mr Raab reiterated the "major issue" of partygate, which led to the events that forced Mr Johnson's resignation, and said on the economy: "I think Rishi was right then and he's right now. Jeremy Hunt has effectively introduced the approach that Rishi has advocated but there's more to be done."

09:52 AM

Will Boris Johnson stand? 'Clearly'

Jacob Rees-Mogg said Boris Johnson would "clearly" stand to become Tory leader.

"The people who are doing the numbers for Boris's campaign told me that they have the numbers, so the 100 that are necessary are there."

Speaking to told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said there was a "great deal of support" for Mr Johnson and pointed to polling today suggesting he would be best-placed to retain the support of 2019 Tory voters.

Asked about the resignations of more than 60 ministers in the final days of the Johnson premiership, Mr Rees-Mogg claimed there had been a "rewriting of history" which overlooked Ukraine and Brexit.

"Boris Johnson is the person who won the mandate. The call for a general election is pretty hollow if the person who won the mandate is actually the prime minister."

09:48 AM

'We have been around the same course too often'

Claims Boris Johnson has "learned from his mistakes" will cut no ice with MPs, Steve Baker warned this morning.

Nadhim Zahawi, the former chancellor, said Mr Johnson was "contrite and honest" after agreeing to resign.

"This is great news from Nadhim and quite right too," Mr Zahawi said. "But I'm afraid it just won't change minds among MPs. We have been around the same course too often.

" And I'm grateful to the MPs who have been in touch to agree. I'd encourage them to go public. "

09:42 AM

Labour leader declines to make NHS spending pledge

Sir Keir Starmer has declined to say whether he would raise NHS spending in line with inflation.

"It needs more than money. Of course they need more money, but they also need reform," the Labour leader told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. "The NHS needs to move to a preventative model."

He added "My priority is growing the economy. The way we would do that is through a green prosperity plan."

09:32 AM

'No doubt' Boris Johnson still running

Boris Johnson told his supporters on an 8am call he is still going for it and not pulling out, writes Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor.

He urged them to hit the phones, and one MP on the call said there was "no doubt" he was still running.

09:30 AM

Breaking: Nadhim Zahawi backs Boris Johnson

In a Twitter thread, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has said:

09:24 AM

'Pros and cons with each of the candidates'

Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the prospect of Boris Johnson's return was a sign of "peculiar times".

"There are pros and cons with each of the candidates. The pros for Boris are very clearly that he cuts through with the public and is a great campaigner," he told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

"The downsides are that he's going to face this inquiry right now. The problem is going to be how many of his colleagues are going to decide they won't support him."

09:21 AM

'People just want things to work better'

"People just want things to work better, that's what we have to do.

"That's our mandate, and I also think it's incredibly important that we remember that as a party, and we actually start to work on that."

09:19 AM

Penny Mordaunt: I am in this to win it

Penny Mordaunt said she was a "savvy campaigner" and "very confident about the progress we are making" as she insisted she would reach 100 nominations.

"I am in this to win it. I think it's important for our party we have a contest. I'm very confident about our numbers. And the reason why I am doing this is I think I am best-placed to bring the party together.

"We have got to come together... People are fed up on the factional rows, the focus on ourselves. We have to remember why we came into this place in the first place and that is to serve our constituents and communities."

Ms Mordaunt said reports she had approached Boris Johnson's camp had been "completely false", and refused to say whether Mr Johnson or Rishi Sunak would make a better prime minister.

09:16 AM

No answers from Penny Mordaunt on health, defence or benefits

Asked if she would cut the health service, Penny Mordaunt described herself as a "halfway house" between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss on the economy.

Pressed on this, she said no Conservative government had rolled back on health spending but "we have to make efficiency services".

She also refused to be drawn on defence spending commitments, the pensions triple-lock or whether benefits should rise in line with inflation - something she committed to at the Conservative Party Conference just a couple of weeks ago.

09:12 AM

Penny Mordaunt: I 'very much regret' mini-Budget

Asked if she still thought Liz Truss's policies were "great", Penny Mordaunt said she was "right that we need to focus on growth... [but] I was more cautious about how we did that".

Ms Mordaunt, who currently has the public backing of 24 MPs, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg she "very much regrets" the mini-Budget and confirmed she would keep Jeremy Hunt on as Chancellor.

"I've sat in the Treasury and I've been briefed by him and I think it's helpful to set out to your viewers what is going to happen. I think it is incredibly important [the] timetable stays, I am the candidate that has said Hunt must stay as Chancellor. Because that smooth transition of power and that continuity is absolutely vital.

"What I'm not going to do, Laura, is I'm not going to talk about the details of that package, what might come forward, or decisions that are in the Bank of England's remit. That would be wrong, we've got to put the country first. What is very important is we recognise we are going into a very difficult winter, we recognise people need to be supported through that."

09:08 AM

Privileges committee 'will and must' continue its work

The privileges committee must be allowed to get on with its work, allies of Boris Johnson insisted this morning.

It came after Steve Baker said the committee's ongoing investigation into 'partygate' and whether Mr Johnson deliberately misled the Commons made the prospect of his political comeback a "political disaster".

Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary, wrote on Twitter: "The privileges committee will and must be allowed to get on with its work and Boris Johnson will co-operate fully as, I am sure, will Rishi Sunak."

Sir James Duddridge, who is helping to run Mr Johnson's campaign, added: "Boris on good form at the 8am meeting with MPs. In a first for Boris, he was rather smartly dressed!

"He made it very clear the privileges committee must and will be allowed to get on with their process. He will cooperate fully. Great to see the boss reach out to the other camps."

09:04 AM

'I question whether any leader is going to be supported'

Asked if he had made up his mind on the next Tory leader, Sir Iain Duncan Smith - a former leader himself - said: "No."

"I desperately want my party to settle down," he told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

"Internally at the moment in the Conservative Party, I just question whether any leader is going to be supported in quite the way they should be.

"The problem is right now we have to decide whether or not we're going to make a go of these last two years... or not. And therefore if we're going to pick somebody now, we have to pick somebody we're going to get behind, and that's it."

09:02 AM

Boris Johnson wants economic stability, says senior backer

Asked about Boris Johnson's economic strategy, Chris Heaton-Harris said: "To be frank, we've only been working out a campaign for the last 24 hours.

"As a member of the Government, I don't think the economy strategy can change much because we need to make sure the economy is completely safe."

He pointed to Jeremy Hunt's medium-term economic plan and said he was "quite sure all of the candidates will want to commit to something like that".

"Boris Johnson absolutely wants a stable financial and economic background for the country to move forward on."

08:59 AM

'A great unifier, a great campaigner'

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said he was "calling" for Boris Johnson to run as he was the "big player" needed in the current political climate.

Asked about the discrepancy between public endorsements for Mr Johnson and claims he had already reached the required threshold of 100, Mr Heaton-Harris said he was "confident" the support was there for the former prime minister.

"We've already booked the appointment with Bob Blackman [of the 1922 Committee executive] tomorrow," he told Sky. "He's keen to see what the parliamentary party thinks.

"He is, actually, a great unifier, a great campaigner, and someone who has a solid sense of what the country wanted to hear. He flew back yesterday... to be frank, none of us expected this to happen at all."

08:52 AM

'She'll win'

Damian Green insisted Penny Mordaunt will reach the threshold of 100 Tory MP nominations that is required for her to progress to a vote of the party membership, saying this morning despite her 24 public nominations: "She'll win."

Mr Green also defended Ms Mordaunt's judgment in endorsing Liz Truss, and said she "shared the overall vision of a lower tax, smaller state, but recognises the reality of stabilising the economy" to ensure international credibility.

Speaking to Sky, he praised the "very strong message" she was sending in her promise to keep Jeremy Hunt in place as the chancellor.

08:46 AM

'I've accepted his apology and God bless him'

Steve Baker has forgiven Krishnan Guru-Murthy after a four-letter insult was caught on air earlier in the week.

Asked about the incident and Mr Guru-Murthy having been taken off air for a week, Mr Baker told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "That's really a matter for Channel 4. I've accepted his apology and God bless him.

"To be fair to him I was absolutely tearing strips off him in a live interview... I forgive him and that's the end of it."

08:41 AM

Steve Baker: I'm 'very proud' to back Rishi Sunak

Steve Baker said he was "very proud" to back Rishi Sunak and urged Boris Johnson to wait until after the privileges committee to even consider a run at the highest office.

"I think he'd make an amazing chairman of the party," he told Sophy Ridge on Sunday. "Make him chairman of the party, he can lead the campaign, he can front this Government but we cannot have him as prime minister."

On the Northern Ireland Protocol, he warned eurosceptics could "implode" the government if it diverged from its current policy but said he was "absolutely not concerned" about Mr Sunak reneging on the existing stance.

"I didn't just speak of humility, I also spoke of resolve. Everyone needs to understand the legitimate interest of unionists is to end the jurisdiction of EU law in Northern Ireland."

08:36 AM

'Boris would be a guaranteed disaster'

Steve Baker praised Boris Johnson as a "wonderful man" but the Tory party had to "ruthlessly have to face the truth as it is".

Mr Baker told Sky News: "This isn't the time for Boris's style. I'm afraid the trouble is because of the privileges vote, Boris would be a guaranteed disaster.

"In that vote it's guaranteed there'll be a large number of Conservatives who will refuse as they see it to lay down their integrity to save him. Sixty-two MPs resigned from his government over the Pincher affair.

"At the moment that there's a vote in the House of Commons on the privileges committee, his premiership would collapse. It's a guaranteed nailed-on failure, and we cannot allow it... I'm not willing to lay down my integrity for Boris Johnson."

08:33 AM

Breaking: Steve Baker endorses Rishi Sunak

Steve Baker - a former chairman of the influential European Research Group (ERG) who previously backed Liz Truss via Suella Braverman over the summer - has endorsed Rishi Sunak.

08:31 AM

Coming up this morning

The next couple of hours will be dominated by the weekly political shows - and both line-ups promise plenty of intrigue.

On Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday are Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary who is backing Boris Johnson, Damian Green, who is supporting Penny Mordaunt, and Steve Baker, a Northern Ireland Office minister who has yet to declare.

Lisa Nandy, Labour's shadow levelling up secretary, will also appear.

From 9am on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme are Ms Mordaunt, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary who is backing Boris Johnson, and former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, who has endorsed Rishi Sunak.

08:26 AM

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson hold eleventh-hour talks

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have been urged to strike a deal to avert a Conservative civil war, amid fears that the party is on course for a historic split.

The former prime minister and his ex-chancellor held talks on Saturday about agreeing to a joint ticket, as Mr Johnson's allies claimed that he had joined Mr Sunak in reaching the threshold of 100 MP supporters needed to move to the next stage of the leadership contest.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson flew into London from the Caribbean as Priti Patel, the former home secretary, joined prominent MPs on the Right of the party, including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Bill Cash, in backing him.

But Kemi Badenoch, the Trade Secretary, Lord Frost, the former Cabinet Office minister, and David Davis, the ex-Brexit secretary, all declared their support for Mr Sunak.

Edward Malnick, Nick Gutteridge and Will Hazell have more

08:23 AM

'An existential crisis'

Conservative chairman Sir Jake Berry has told the Telegraph's Christopher Hope the current situation represented "an existential crisis for the Conservative Party".

"If we believe in democracy, members cannot be denied a say on who the next leader of the party is," Sir Jake said, noting the removal of both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss from office "despite the fact that they have won the membership".

"I fear that it might be a point where members think: 'What is really the point of being a member of the Conservative Party?'

"I had an email from a member today, he said 'it feels like I am being told I was wrong and now if we don't have a membership vote I am being told I am too stupid even to have an opinion'."

08:15 AM

Good morning

Dominic Penna here, the Telegraph's Political Reporter, guiding you through what promises to be another hugely significant day in Westminster.

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak - neither of whom have formally declared their prime ministerial ambitions - were last night urged to strike a deal amid fears of another bitterly divisive Tory leadership contest.

But Jake Berry, the party chairman, last night warned against a scenario in which members were denied a say on Britain's next prime minister.

I will be keeping you updated throughout today.