PUBLISHED:16:27 AEDT, 24 October 2022|UPDATED:02:03 AEDT, 25 October 2022
Follow MailOnline's coverage of theConservative leadershipcontest withRishi Sunaklikely to be announced as Prime Minister as early as this afternoon.
Jacob ThorburnHost commentator
Alastair LockhartHost commentator
15:59
Eco-protestors threaten to blight Rishi's big day
More than 30 Greenpeace activists temporarily 'occupied' the central lobby of Parliament today as they called on Rishi Sunak to back a windfall tax on fossil fuels, improve support for households and called for more home insulation.
Campaigners entered the Palace of Westminster by feigning to be tourists and visitors before sitting down on the floor, before linking arms and reading testimonies from people struggling with the surging cost-of-living.
Sky News footage captured the moment activists cascaded into the main lobby, with a parliamentary security officer bizarrely attempting to halt a political interview that was being broadcast live at the time.
The protesters - who were also from Fuel Poverty Action - unveiled a banner reading Chaos Costs Lives. There was no attempt by police to move them on and after reading out a number of statements they left voluntarily.
Campaigners entered the Palace of Westminster as tourists and visitors sitting down on the floor, before linking arms and reading testimonies from people struggling with bills.
Rishi Sunak set to appoint Cabinet TOMORROW as new PM faces monstrous in-tray
Rishi Sunak faces a daunting task as Prime Minister and is expected to reign back Liz Truss's unfunded tax cuts and spending commitments.
Mr Sunak delivered a stark message of 'unite or die' after being confirmed as the next PM when his sole remaining rival Ms Mordaunt failed to make the threshold of 100 nominations needed to trigger a run-off.
To the banging of desks in a room deep in the Commons, 1922 committee chair Sir Graham Brady said he had received one valid form. 'Rishi Sunak is therefore elected as leader of the Conservative Party.'
The new premier received a rapturous reception when he made a 10-minute private speech to MPs at Parliament at 2.30pm, giving the thumbs up to waiting journalists.
But the new PM faces a daunting in-tray of problems. The parlous state of the economy, the war in Ukraine, possible elections in Northern Ireland, the Channel migrants crisis and reuniting the Conservative Party are all critical tasks that demand urgent attention.
Read MailOnline's analysis below for more on the challenges Mr Sunak will need to overcome:
The state of the economy, the war in Ukraine, possible elections in Northern Ireland, the Channel migrants crisis and reuniting the Tory party are all tasks waiting in the new PM's in-tray.
Home Secretary Grant Shapps issues a rallying cry to the Tory Party
Home Secretary Grant Shapps called on the Conservative Party to 'pull together' following Rishi Sunak's victory.
He tweeted: 'Great result for @RishiSunak. And the right result for the country.
'The Tory party must now pull together to restore economic stability and deliver for the British people.'
15:43
A delighted Rishi Sunak smiles as he is pictured outside Tory Party HQ
Rishi Sunak arrived at Conservative Campaign Headquarters in Westminster to cheers from Tory MPs gathered on the steps of the building, waiting to greet him.
He shook hands with and embraced MPs and waved at onlookers. The new Prime Minister then went into the building, with the MPs following behind him.
Rishi Sunak celebrates becoming Britain's new Prime Minister alongside applauding members of the Conservative Party outside Tory HQ on Monday
15:24
Key Liz Truss ally urges Tory party to 'unite behind Rishi Sunak'
Deputy Prime Minister Therese Coffey, a close ally of Liz Truss, said that the Tory party must now get behind Rishi Sunak.
Asked by reporters if Mr Sunak was an election winner, she said: 'I think he certainly won an election this week.'
'We need to get behind him and I will do whatever I can to help support him in making sure that he is in the best place possible in his role as prime minister but also in winning the next election.'
Deputy Prime Minister Therese Coffey pictured outside Downing Street today
15:11
Liz Truss congratulates Rishi Sunak as she prepares to leave Downing Street for the last time
Prime Minister Liz Truss congratulated Rishi Sunak on being appointed Tory leader and told him on Twitter 'you have my full support.'
Ms Truss was pictured leaving 10 Downing Street by the back door earlier, shortly before she formally resigns as Prime Minister.
After Ms Truss tenders her resignation to the King, Mr Sunak will be invited to form a government by His Majesty and officially become Prime Minister.
15:02
Rishi Sunak poses with the 1922 Committee after addressing MPs
Rishi Sunak has posed for a photo with the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs after addressing his party.
Rishi Sunak has enjoyed the fastest journey in modern political history from starting as an MP to becoming prime minister.
He first entered the House of Commons at the 2015 general election, when he won the seat of Richmond in North Yorkshire with 51 per cent of the vote.
He held the seat at the 2017 and 2019 elections, winning an increased share of 64 per cent of the vote on both occasions.
It has taken Mr Sunak only seven years to go from being a new MP to becoming the new Prime Minister.
Current Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has congratulated Rishi Sunak on his election and called for 'unity' in the Conservative Party.
Mr Rees-Mogg backed Liz Truss for leader, then a Boris Johnson comeback, but has said he will 'support this leadership.'
14:55
Tories cheer as Sunak is elected leader
Tory MPs greeted Rishi Sunak's election with the traditional banging on tables and cheers in the committee room in the House of Commons.
Rishi Sunak did not speak to a waiting crowd of reporters as he arrived to speak to Tory MPs for the first time as leader.
He is now addressing the MPs behind closed doors.
14:45
Angela Rayner accuses Sunak of 'putting party before country' by addressing MPs
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has accused Rishi Sunak of 'already putting party before country' by addressing Tory MPs before the public.
Mr Sunak is speaking to Conservative MPs behind closed doors in a Commons committee room.
Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady announced Mr Sunak as the new leader of the Conservative party in the committee room earlier.
14:40
Rishi Sunak will become the youngest Prime Minister in modern history - and the fourth in a row to take office without an election
Rishi Sunak will be the youngest UK prime minister in modern political history.
At 42, he is a year younger than the current record-holder David Cameron, who was 43 when he became PM in 2010.
Tony Blair was also 43 when he became prime minister in 1997, but was a few months older than Mr Cameron at the time both won power. Outgoing prime minister Liz Truss is 47.
Only two other PMs since 1900 have taken office below the age of 50 - John Major (47 in 1990) and Harold Wilson (48 in 1964).
Mr Sunak will not be the youngest prime minister ever to hold the office in this country, however.
As his name suggests, William Pitt the Younger was famous for his youthfulness and was just 24 when he first became prime minister in 1783.
A number of politicians in their 30s held the job of prime minister during the 18th century, while the Tory statesman Robert Jenkinson had only just turned 42 when he took the job in 1812 - the same age as Mr Sunak, though a few months younger.
Mr Sunak's appointment as PM will represent a number of symbolic milestones. He has made history in terms of ethnicity, being the first ever non-white prime minister of the UK.
Mr Sunak will be only the second Conservative prime minister representing a constituency in the north of England.
The first was Arthur Balfour, who was MP for Manchester East while serving as prime minister from 1902 to 1905.
He will be the third person to hold the job since the last general election, following Boris Johnson and Ms Truss.
The last time the UK clocked up three different prime ministers in the course of one parliament was in 1940, when Winston Churchill took the role following Stanley Baldwin (who served from 1935 to 1937) and Neville Chamberlain (1937-1940).
Mr Sunak will also be the fourth PM in a row - after Theresa May, Mr Johnson and Ms Truss - to take power without a general election.
It has been 12 years since an election last led directly to a change of prime minister, in 2010, when Mr Cameron took office at the head of a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, replacing Gordon Brown's Labour government.
It is necessary to go much further back in history to find the last time a prime minister both took and left office at a general election.
This was the fate of Edward Heath, who won power at the polls in 1970, only to lose it again in 1974.
14:30
Rishi Sunak will address Conservative MPs in the next few minutes
Rishi Sunak is about to address Conservative MPs as party leader for the first time.
He was the only nominee for leader after Penny Mordaunt pulled out at the last moment.
More than half of Tory MPs had publicly declared their support for Mr Sunak before his election today.
14:27
SNP calls for general election
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has demanded a general election following Rishi Sunak's election as leader of the Conservative Party.
Mr Blackford said: 'The Tories cannot be allowed to impose a third prime minister without a general election, voters must get a say and the SNP is determined to ensure they do.
'The Tory government had no mandate to trash the UK economy with its disastrous budget.
'And it has no mandate to install yet another leader who will impose devastating austerity cuts, making households pay through their teeth for Tory mistakes.'
He said he had written to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to say the SNP would back a vote of no confidence in the Government if he tabled one.
Labour MPs took a swipe at Rishi Sunak's massive personal wealth today as the opposition set out their main attack line against the prospective prime minister.
They drew attention to the fortune of Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, estimated to be around £730million, contrasting it with the struggle many Britons facer at a time of soaring inflation.
Mr Sunak married Ms Murty, an Indian tech billionaire's daughter, and built a multi million-pound fortune that saw him dubbed the 'Maharajah of the Dales'.
Her father, NR Narayana Murthy, is India's sixth-wealthiest man thanks to his ownership of multinational business technology giant Infosys.
They drew attention to the fortune of Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, estimated to be around £730million, contrasting it with the struggle many Britons facer at a time of soaring inflation.
Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the Conservative leadership race at the last possible moment, just two minutes before the result was announced by Sir Graham Brady.
It is not known if Ms Mordaunt would have had the 100 MPs required to make it on to the ballot, but public nominations suggested she fell well short.
The move means Rishi Sunak is now leader of the Conservative Party and will formally become Prime Minister later this afternoon.
Sadiq Khan congratulates Rishi Sunak on becoming Britain's first Asian Prime Minister
Mayor London Sadiq Khan has congratulated Rishi Sunak on becoming the new Prime Minister.
He hailed the election of the country's first Asian PM as an historic moment.
Mr Khan said: 'Politics aside, I want to congratulate Rishi Sunak on making history today as Conservative leader and soon to be Prime Minister.'
14:06
New Prime Minister to address MPs at 2:30pm
Rishi Sunak has been elected leader of the Conservative Party and is the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - he was the only valid nomination put forward.
He will address MPs at 2:30pm following his election.
Later today, he will visit the King where he will be invited to form a government.
14:03
Penny Mordaunt drops out of leadership race
Penny Mordaunt has dropped out of the leadership race.
Rishi Sunak will be announced as Britain's new Prime Minister in the next few minutes by Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady.
Tory MPs have gathered in the Houses of Parliament for the announcement.
Rishi Sunak is on the verge of getting the keys to Downing Street today as senior Tories and Penny Mordaunt's own allies urge her to follow Boris Johnson in dropping out of the leadership race.
Mr Sunak could be named as the new PM as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Ms Mordaunt a long way off the threshold of 100 nominations needed to trigger a run-off.
The former Chancellor has received public backing from over 190 Tory MPs - will over half the total - and is racking up more numbers as prominent supporters of Mr Johnson jump on the bandwagon. They include senior figures such as James Cleverly, Brandon Lewis, Simon Clarke, Iain Duncan Smith, Priti Patel, and Nadhim Zahawi.
Rishi Sunak could be named as the new PM as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Penny Mordaunt struggling to reach the threshold of 100 nominations.
10 Downing Street has seen many prime ministers and their partners walk through its doors - and the couple likely to be moving in this week, Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murthy, are set to be the wealthiest SW1A has ever seen.
While Samantha Cameron, wife of former prime minister David and the UK's 'first lady' from 2010-2016, made headlines during her spell in Number 10 for the enormous fortune she was set to inherit, billionaire heiress Akshata, 42, is said to be wealthier than the King, due to her £430 million stake in her father's IT empire.
Sunak, 42, Akshata, and their daughters Krishna and Anoushka will also be the first Hindu family to occupy the prime ministerial home if his leadership bid is successful.
Akshata Murthy, 42, is set to become a new occupant of 10 Downing Street as her husband and former chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is the favourite to win the Tory Party leadership election.
Tory MP George Freeman, who had been supporting Penny Mordaunt to be the next party leader, has said he will vote for Rishi Sunak instead.
Mr Freeman told Radio 4's World at One programme Ms Mordaunt was a 'fantastic candidate' and hoped she would strike a deal with Rishi Sunak and have a place in the Cabinet.
He said: 'It is essential that we come together to demonstrate stability and unity', adding the Conservatives needed a 'unity ticket'.
Mr Freeman also said it would not be worth prolonging the leadership contest for the rest of the week given the economic crisis.
Boris Johnson ally claims he had enough party support to stand
Nigel Adams, a prominent supporter of Boris Johnson, said the former Prime Minister had the backing required to run before his decision to pull out of the contest.
'This morning I met Bob Blackman MP, joint secretary of the 1922 Committee,' former minister Mr Adams said.
'He has independently verified the nomination paperwork and confirmed to me that Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP was above the threshold required to stand for the Conservative Party leadership in this leadership election.
'Therefore, Mr Johnson could have proceeded to the ballot had he chosen to do so.'
13:00
Penny Mordaunt's allies tell her to 'step aside' and allow Rishi Sunak to take the top job TODAY
Penny Mordaunt's closest allies have today urged her to follow Boris Johnson in dropping out of the Tory leadership race with just an hour to go before the 2pm deadline.
Mr Sunak could be named as Britain's third Prime Minister in as many months as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Ms Mordaunt a long way off the threshold of 100 nominations needed to trigger a run-off.
Ms Mordaunt has sounded defiant throughout, with allies claiming she has more than 90 supporters and arguing there is still time for her to meet the goal to keep the contest alive.
But Tory MP George Freeman, a key figure in her campaign which has rebuffed calls to form a unity alliance with her leadership rivals, broke ranks to make clear she should now stand aside.
'The KEY Question this morning is whether that Unity & Stability is best served by a contest this week amongst the grassroots members, or MPs putting differences aside & backing @RishiSunak as the Leader-in-Waiting with the - economic gravitas - overwhelming MP support to unite,' Mr Freeman wrote.
Click the link below to read MailOnline's full report:
Rishi Sunak could be named as the new PM as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Penny Mordaunt struggling to reach the threshold of 100 nominations.
BBC presenter sparks impartiality row after 'celebrating Boris Johnson's decision to stand down in race to be the new Tory leader'
A BBC presenter has sparked fury after appearing to jubilantly celebrate Boris Johnson quitting in the race to become the next Tory leader, saying: 'Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well, I am.'
Outraged viewers are demanding action from regulator Ofcom over the comments by Martine Croxall on the BBC The Papers show last night, as the broadcasting giant faces fresh questions about the impartiality of its reporters.
The show aired minutes after Mr Johnson took the political world by surprise, announcing he was dropping out the running to be the next PM - despite having claimed to have had more than 100 MPs in his court.
Former Tory leader endorses Rishi Sunak's bid to become PM
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has confirmed he will be backing Rishi Sunak's bid to become prime minister, calling for the contest to end.
Endorsing the former chancellor, Sir Iain took to Twitter to say: 'It is time for us to end the leadership contest and get a PM in place ASAP.
'I have reached the decision that senior experience at the heart of government matters most. To that end I shall support Rishi Sunak.'
Mr Sunak is edging closer to securing the backing of 200 MPs as the race for 10 Downing Street enters the final hours.
12:21
Conservative's ERG group chooses not to formally endorse either Tory leadership contender
The European Research Group (ERG) of Conservatives will not formally endorse either Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt for the party leadership.
ERG chairman Mark Francois said: 'We believe that we have one - and potentially two - extremely strong options to be leader of the Conservative Party but as a group we were unable to collectively endorse either candidate.
'However, some of us having spoken to both potential candidates this morning, they were equally adamant that they would take - if they became prime minister - a very robust line on the Northern Ireland Protocol, up to and including, if necessary, utilising the Parliament Act to ensure that the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill reaches the statute book.'
Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt are battling to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
12:19
Liz Truss is set to give 'her full support to her successor'
Liz Truss is expected to give her full support to her successor as prime minister, Downing Street has indicated.
Asked if she would be supporting the new occupant of No 10, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'I am confident that she would.'
The spokesman confirmed that it would be for the new prime minister to decide whether to proceed with the medium-term fiscal plan setting out how the Government will get the public finances back on track on October 31 as planned.
'The Treasury continues to work towards having a package ready for the 31st should a new prime minister wish it to proceed on that date,' the spokesman said.
Prime Minister Liz Truss leaves Downing Street, London following her resignation
12:12
How will the new PM be chosen, and when do they take over from Liz Truss?
Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt are the last hopefuls standing in the Tory leadership contest after the dramatic withdrawal of Boris Johnson late last night.
But with just two hours to go and Mr Sunak streaking ahead while Ms Mordaunt's campaign appears to stall, it is far from certain the battle will be put to a vote.
Click here for more on how the schedule will play out for today, and potentially the rest of the week:
Rishi Sunak is on the cusp of becoming Prime Minister today to cap a meteoric rise to power that seemed all but over less than two months ago.
The GP's son from Southampton, whose Indian parents immigrated to Britain, retreated to the backbenches last month after being swept aside by Liz Truss in the battle to replace Boris Johnson.
But after her chaotic premiership ended in ignominy after just 44 days the Richmond MP is poised to be appointed as the UK's first non-white and Hindu leader on Diwali, one of the religion's major festivals. The UK's first – and until now only – minority prime minister was Benjamin Disraeli, who was Jewish, in 1874.
Read the full profile on Rishi Sunak on MailOnline here:
After Liz Truss's chaotic premiership ended in ignominy after just 44 days the Richmond MP, left, is poised to be appointed as the UK's first non-white and Hindu leader on Diwali.
Penny Mordaunt's team have claimed she has won the support of 90 Conservative MPs ahead of the vote this afternoon.
The figure has not been verified, but if correct it would mean Ms Mordaunt is 10 MPs short of the threshold required to appear on the ballot just hours before the deadline for nominations.
However, she remains far behind Rishi Sunak who has the support of at least 171 MPs.
A spokesperson urged more Conservatives to back Ms Mordaunt to help her cross the 100 threshold.
A campaign source said: 'We have now passed 90. For the sake of the party, it's important our members have their say.'
11:43
Penny Mordaunt's team 'confident' she can reach 100 MPs by the afternoon
Sources from Penny Mordaunt's campaign team are insisting she is close to securing the support of 100 Tory MPs needed to get on the leadership ballot this afternoon.
Ms Mordaunt is known to have at least 25 backers in Parliament, but her camp claim the total is much higher.
An insider said: 'We are confident and Penny is working flat out to give members a choice on the ballot.'
A spokesperson for Ms Mordaunt added: 'Penny is speaking to colleagues from across the party. She's getting the numbers and she's in it to win it'
11:32
Rishi Sunak thanks Boris Johnson for his time as Prime Minister after he drops out of the race
Rishi Sunak has thanked Boris Johnson for his work on the pandemic and in Ukraine when he was Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak said: 'Boris Johnson delivered Brexit and the great vaccine roll-out. He led our country through some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced, and then took on Putin and his barbaric war in Ukraine.
'We will always be grateful to him for that.
'Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad.'
The pound rallied and gilt yields dipped today after Boris Johnson's departure from the Tory leadership race cleared the way for Rishi Sunak to become the next Prime Minister.
The pound continued a multi-day rise, building from its low of under $1.11 at about midday on Friday to reach $1.14 in early trading. The gains were later pared back to a little over $1.13 per pound, up 0.1 per cent on the day.
Meanwhile government borrowing costs fell as the market opened after the weekend. The interest rate on a 30-year UK Treasury gilt was down by nearly 0.2 percentage points to about 3.9 per cent.
The FTSE 100 was down this morning as a stronger pound weighed on multinationals, who make most of their earnings in dollars. But the FTSE 250 - which is seen as a more accurate indicator of the health of the UK economy - is in the green.
This morning, the value of Sterling climbed as high as $1.1401 against the dollar in early Asia trading, amid expectations could become Prime Minister today.
Rishi Sunak and supporters leave his campaign HQ ahead of crunch vote
Several prominent Conservative politicians have been visiting Rishi Sunak's campaign headquarters this morning.
Kemi Badenoch and Gavin Williamson both stopped off at Mr Sunak's office in Westminster.
Mr Sunak arrived at his office at about 8.30am before departing shortly afterwards ahead of the leadership vote which could see him elected Prime Minister in the next few hours.
The former Chancellor clearly has enough support to reach the ballot, and will only be stopped from becoming PM today if Penny Mordaunt can find the support of 100 Tory MPs.
10:52
Michael Gove backs Rishi Sunak for leadership ahead of vote
Former Cabinet minister Michael Gove has tweeted his support for Rishi Sunak ahead of the deadline for candidates to get on the leadership ballot.
Mr Sunak now has support from at least 171 Conservative MPs - almost half the parliamentary party and well over the 100 threshold required to reach the next round.
Mr Gove said: 'It is time now for the Conservative Party to unite behind Rishi Sunak.
'There are big challenges ahead and the national interest requires us to show resolution and fortitude under new leadership.'
Rishi Sunak is on the verge of getting the keys to Downing Street today after Boris Johnson dramatically dropped his Tory leadership bid.
Mr Sunak could be named as the new PM as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Penny Mordaunt struggling to reach the threshold of 100 nominations needed to trigger a run-off.
The former Chancellor has received public backing from over 170 Tory MPs - and is racking up more numbers as prominent supporters of Mr Johnson jump on the bandwagon. He would be the country's first non-white premier, and at 42 the youngest since the Napoleonic Wars.
The breakneck developments appear to have cooled the markets, in what is being branded a 'dullness dividend'. Government borrowing costs have eased, the Pound has rallied, and expectations for interest rates are more than a percentage point lower than after the mini-Budget.
However, the challenge he faces has been laid bare as other Johnsonites warned that he will need to call a snap election because he does not have a mandate - while the ex-PM himself suggested in his bombshell concession last night that he is only standing aside until the 'right time'.
Rishi Sunak could be named as the new PM as early as 2.15pm, with his sole remaining rival Penny Mordaunt struggling to reach the threshold of 100 nominations.
Penny Mordaunt has said she is 'confident' she can win the race to be Britain's next Prime Minister, despite having a mountain to climb to reach 100 nominations by this afternoon.
Rishi Sunak has 171 Tory MPs backing him - almost half the parliamentary party. By contrast, Ms Mordaunt has just 25 confirmed MPs behind her, though her camp insists she is close to the 100 threshold.
The Tory leadership hopeful told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: 'I’m in this to win it. I think it’s important for our party we have a contest. I am very confident about our numbers.'
Watch the video here:
Video: Penny Mordaunt: 'I'm in this to win it and I am confident we can'
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Play
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time4:34
Fullscreen
10:16
Markets fall again after early gains
Initial optimism on London's markets was short-lived as both the pound and the FTSE 100 lost some of their earlier gains after Boris Johnson ruled himself out as Prime Minister.
The FTSE 100 started the day with a 0.5 per cent rise, pushing it above the 7,000-point mark for the first time in a week, but it later gave back all and then some of its gains.
The good fortunes turned around less than an hour after opening, pushing as low as 6,915, down 0.8 per cent compared to Friday's close.
The pound continued a multi-day rise, building from its low of below 1.11 dollars at about midday on Friday to reach close to 1.14 as stock markets opened after the weekend.
However, the gains were later pared back to a little over 1.13 dollars per pound, up 0.1 per cent on the day.
The story was similar for the gilt market. The interest rate on a 30-year UK Treasury gilt - which determines how much the Government pays on its debt - fell by nearly 0.2 percentage points to about 3.9 per cent, but later rose again to 4 per cent.
The movements follow the decision of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to seek his party's nomination to take the job again, even after a weekend of hitting the phones to try to drum up support.
10:03
Keir Starmer calls for end to Tory 'circus'
Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for an end to the 'ridiculous circus' in the Conservative Party after he said there should be a general election.
Mr Starmer said he put his head in his hands at the prospect of Boris Johnson running for the Tory leadership.
He told LBC his 'first sentiment' on hearing Mr Johnson had ruled himself out of the race for No 10 was that 'he didn't have the numbers' required to secure a spot on the Tory ballot.
'But when he first said that he was going to run, and everybody was sort of rallying around, I did put my head in my hands and think, so, really, we're going to go from the prime minister who's just crashed the economy... back to the guy that only... months ago, most of us were saying was unfit for office,' he said.
'It was never going to work, I don't think.'
He added: 'The less time now spent on this sort of chaotic, ridiculous circus at the top of the Tory party, the better.'
09:52
Boris Johnson's full statement as he abandons his bid to return as Prime Minister
Boris Johnson dropped out of the Conservative leadership race last night, claiming he had enough backers to be nominated but arguing he would not be able to unite the party if elected.
His claim to have over 100 Tory MPs behind him has not been verified - MailOnline recorded just 57 public backers when he dropped out of the race on Sunday.
Mr Johnson argued he would have been well-placed to win the Conservatives an election in 2024, but said he had concluded 'that this is simply not the right time'.
Rishi Sunak was warned that he could be dragged into the Commons ‘Partygate’ probe as he seemed on course to become leader of the Conservatives last night.
Supporters of the former chancellor had dismissed the idea of a Boris Johnson comeback as a ‘guaranteed disaster’ because of the inquiry hanging over the ex-prime minister.
But Mr Johnson had told supporters during a virtual call yesterday morning that the inquiry could still call other witnesses, including Mr Sunak.
Rishi Sunak was warned that he could be dragged into the Commons 'Partygate' probe as he seemed on course to become leader of the Conservatives last night.
Boris Johnson supporter calls for general election
Sir Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, has said the party is 'ungovernable' and that a general election is 'the only answer'.
Mr Chope backed Liz Truss as Prime Minister right up until her resignation last week, before supporting Boris Johnson's bid for the leadership.
He now says an election is the only way forward for the country.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'If people who are now seeking the crown want to have the respect which comes from having a mandate, then what I'm saying is that the best way they can get that respect is by winning a mandate with the people, and that's why I think a general election is essentially the only answer, otherwise we're just going to go from bad to worse.
'The party is ungovernable in the House of Commons and so we're going to have continuing rebellions as we try to change policies and so on, and so I must say I'm very pessimistic, I'm very angry, and I feel that Boris has been let down once again and undermined by our parliamentary colleagues.'
09:19
Grant Shapps says Sunak would follow 2019 manifesto
Home Secretary Grant Shapps has rejected calls for a general election, arguing the MPs elected in 2019 were still sitting.
Mr Shapps said: 'I haven't changed, I'm still here and the same is the case in 650 constituencies around the country.
'We elect a party and we elect individuals as members of that party.'
He added Rishi Sunak would keep to the Conservatives' 2019 manifesto if elected Prime Minister, despite Liz Truss's plans to reverse several of its commitments.
Video: Grant Shapps: 'Indviduals who were elected are still in place'
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
0:00
Play
Current Time0:00
/
Duration Time0:35
Fullscreen
09:11
'Not the end' for Boris Johnson says Nadine Dorries
Boris Johnson devotee Nadine Dorries has said 'it is not the end' for the former Prime Minister after he ruled himself out of the race for No 10.
The ex-Cabinet minister said 'hours of conversations' took place between Mr Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt to agree on a unified solution, but the remaining candidates 'declined to come together', choosing to 'go on their own path'.
She told Times Radio that Johnson supporters are 'very keen that we have unity in the party' and will be 'very keen to back a candidate to make that happen'.
Ms Dorries, a staunch Johnson ally, suggested Ms Mordaunt is not a serious contender, adding: 'I don't think, when you're talking about Penny Mordaunt, you're asking anyone to step back. I mean, Penny hasn't really held a serious job in government.
'The fact that Penny asked Boris Johnson to step back for her, I thought was quite interesting.'
She said the ex-PM stepped back 'for the right reasons', insisting 'that doesn't mean it's the end of Boris Johnson'.
08:56
Priti Patel backs Rishi Sunak for next Tory leader
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced her support for Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership contest.
She tweeted: 'In these difficult times for our country we must unite by putting public service first and work together.
'We care about our country and with the enormous challenges upon us we must put political differences aside to give Rishi Sunak the best chance of succeeding.'
08:47
Pound and markets rebound after Johnson drops out
The pound's value and stock markets have risen this morning as traders respond positively to Boris Johnson dropping out of the leadership race.
The FTSE 100 started the day with a 0.5 per cent rise, pushing it above the 7,000-point mark for the first time in a week.
The pound continued a multi-day rise, building from a low of below 1.11 dollars at midday on Friday to reach close to 1.14 as stock markets opened.
Meanwhile, the gilt market cooled, making it cheaper for the Government to borrow money. The interest rate on a 30-year UK Treasury gilt fell by nearly 0.2 percentage points to about 3.9 per cent.
08:35
No early election under Penny Mordaunt says Leadsom
Andrea Leadsom has said there is 'no prospect' of an early general election under Penny Mordaunt.
The former Cabinet minister, who is backing the Commons Leader in the race for No 10, told Sky News: 'Absolutely there is no prospect of an early general election under a Penny Mordaunt leadership.
'You know, we have a mandate from 2019 from the people to fulfil the promises that we made to them then.'
08:27
Rishi Sunak leaves his London home
Rishi Sunak has left his home in London ahead of the first round of voting in the Conservative leadership contest later today.
Mr Sunak could be Britain's Prime Minister in a matter of hours if he is the only candidate to reach 100 endorsements from MPs.
Penny Mordaunt is the only other candidate in the race after Boris Johnson dropped out, but she has not reached the required threshold of 100 MPs backing her as Mr Sunak has.
If both reach 100 nominations, Tory party members will vote on the next leader.
08:12
Home Secretary says Boris Johnson's return would have been 'too early'
Home Secretary Grant Shapps said Boris Johnson did the 'right thing' by ruling himself out of the contest for the next prime minister.
He said he thought it was probably 'a bit too early' for Mr Johnson to make a return to No 10.
Mr Shapps, who is backing Rishi Sunak for Tory leader, told Sky News: 'I saw Boris Johnson's statement last night, he said he had the numbers but in the interest of both party unity and the country he said he would withdraw. I have to say I think he did the right thing. I think that's sensible under the circumstances.
'I think Boris Johnson was actually in many ways a very impressive prime minister, what with his response to getting beyond the Brexit thing, the Covid vaccine rollout... I think he did a lot of good things.'
08:02
Mordaunt backer says he is confident she will reach 100 MPs
Conservative MP Damian Green has said he is confident Penny Mordaunt will reach the required number of endorsements to enter the race against Rishi Sunak to be next leader of the Conservative Party.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There are a lot of people who weren't declaring publicly what they were doing. Penny's numbers are well above the published figures already.'
He added: 'It's certainly way, way above the published number and we're confident of getting to 100 before the deadline of 2pm and putting the case to colleagues that Penny is the person best positioned to unify the party.
'She's got support from all wings of the party already and we can then get on with the important job for the country of the various serious problems we're facing.'
07:11
Penny Mordaunt says Boris Johnson 'put country before party'
Leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt has reacted to Boris Johnson dropping out of the race.
Ms Mordaunt said the former Prime Minister had made the right decision and offered to work with him in the future.
The results of the first round of voting will be announced this afternoon.
06:55
Who are the remaining candidates?
A new prime minister is expected to have been selected by the end of the week following Liz Truss's resignation after less than two months in the job.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak and Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt are the two remaining contenders in the contest.
However, candidates need a minimum of 100 colleagues to nominate them by Monday to make it onto the ballot paper for the parliamentary stage of the election process.
The first MPs vote will be held between 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Monday.
Rishi Sunak
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak heads into the race this week confident that he has the backing of enough MPs to make it onto the ballot paper.
He was defeated just seven weeks ago in the last Tory leadership race as the party membership picked rival Liz Truss, garnering 60,399 votes to her 81,326.
In that contest, he positioned himself as the candidate prepared to tell hard truths about the state of the public finances rather than 'comforting fairy tales'.
The ex-chancellor gathered a string of endorsements from MPs before declaring he would run, with backers highlighting his 'calm competence' and portraying him as a 'serious person for serious times'.
Penny Mordaunt
Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt will need to receive a tidal wave of support to reach the requisite 100 nominations on Monday.
She finished third in the last leadership election, failing to receive enough backing from MPs to qualify for the membership vote.
Ms Mordaunt will be tied to the Truss premiership to some extent, as she served in the Cabinet during the PM's tumultuous period, which saw market chaos at one stage threaten to trigger a financial crisis in the UK.
However, she has hardly been conspicuous in her loyalty, making it clear she believed benefits should rise in line with inflation at the Tory conference earlier this month, despite Ms Truss repeatedly refusing to guarantee the boost.
06:35
Tory MPs to vote for their new leader
Tory MPs will choose who they want to be their new leader today in the first stage of the race for No 10 after Boris Johnson dramatically pulled out of the contest.
The former Prime Minister claimed he had the nominations needed to make it onto the ballot paper but admitted he could not unite his warring party.
His withdrawal means the contest could be decided by the early afternoon with Rishi Sunak the only candidate confirmed to have passed the 100 MP threshold to get on to the ballot.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Mr Johnson said there was a 'very good chance' he could have been back in No 10 by the end of the week if he had stood.
However his efforts to 'reach out' to his rivals - Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt - to work together in the national interest had not been successful so he was dropping out.
While Sunak, the former chancellor, already has more than 140 public declarations of support, Ms Mordaunt, the Leader of the House, had fewer than 30.
Share or comment on this article:
Rishi Sunak news LIVE: Ex-Chancellor is the new UK Prime Minister
