Potential successors have already begun throwing their hats into the ring to replace Boris Johnson as Tory leader after he announced his resignation.
The outgoing prime minister finally accepted his time had come to step down on Thursday after more than 50 MPs resigned from government and party roles over his conduct.
The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip has been dogged by a string of scandals throughout his leadership since 2019, but the final nail in the coffin came after it emerged he promoted Tory MP Chris Pincher despite knowledge of sexual misconduct claims against him.
Mr Johnson said he would be staying on as prime minister in a caretaker role until a new Conservative Party leader is announced by the autumn.
The contest to succeed Mr Johnson has been described by one Tory politician as the “wacky races” – with up to 15 MPs announcing their candidates or preparing to launch a campaign.
To take part, candidates need eight nominations. Candidates must then get 5 per cent of the votes to stay in the running – 18 votes – during the first round. They must get 10 per cent, 36 MPs, in the second round.
Senior Tory MP Sir Charles Walker, vice chair of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers during the 2019 contest, has suggested leadership hopefuls who have “no hope” of winning should drop out now and help “thin” down the crowded field.
Here are all the Tory MPs who have so far launched leadership campaigns:
Mr Sunak has entered the Tory leadership race vowing to “restore trust” after Boris Johnson’s multiple scandals, but with a warning that the country cannot afford early tax cuts.
The former chancellor also hinted he would end the “culture wars” the current prime minister has relished fighting, promising: “We’ve had enough of division.”
Stealing a march on his rivals, Mr Sunak cast himself as the fiscally responsible candidate, resisting the clamour for tax cuts.
Mr Sunak also launched a website, ready4rishi.com, which – as The Independent exclusively revealed in January – first appeared in September 2020.
At the time sources close to Mr Sunak described the claims, along with those relating to the chancellor having prepared a leadership campaign, as “totally false”.
Some 12 hours before Mr Johnson finally accepted the inevitable and announced he was stepping down as prime minister, the first candidate to succeed him had already made herself known.
Speaking to ITV’s Robert Peston, attorney general Suella Braverman said she planned to stay in her post for the greater good of the country but denounced Mr Johnson for his mishandling of the Chris Pincher sexual harassment scandal that ultimately proved his undoing.
Tom Tugendhat, an ex-soldier and Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairman, has said he would ‘bridge the Brexit divide’ if selected
She then signalled her own intention to run for the leadership, saying: “I love this country, my parents came here with absolutely nothing and it was Britain that gave them hope, security and opportunity.
“This country has afforded me incredible opportunities in education and in my career. I owe a debt of gratitude to this country and to serve as PM would be the greatest honour, so yes, I will try.”
Within hours of Mr Johnson’s ungracious resignation speech the following afternoon, she already had a Twitter account promoting her campaign up and running.
Tory MP Tom Tugendhat wasted little time in declaring his intention to enter the race, declaring his intentions the day after Mr Johnson quit.
Attorney General Suella Braverman is among the few to publicly declare her intentions
Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has promised tax cuts and declared her opposition to ‘identity politics’
