Tory election rules for selecting new PM set out

Tory candidates to be the next prime minister will undergo at least a dozen hustings before the winner enters Downing Street at the end of July, it has been announced.

Leading figures from the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs have set out the rules of the contest to succeed Theresa May as PM.

Tory MPs will whittle down the final two candidates to go into a run-off decided by the party’s 160,000 membership by June 20.

The new prime minister is then expected to be appointed in the week beginning July 22.

After the Prime Minister formally steps down as leader of the Conservative Party on Friday, Mrs May will remain acting leader of the party until a successor is appointed.

Joint acting chairman of the 1922 Committee Charles Walker told a Westminster briefing: “We are aiming to have two people by Thursday June 20.

“There is provision for a fifth ballot on Thursday June 20.

“I’m not a mathematical or statistical expert, but I think it would be very difficult… to get beyond a fifth ballot in this process.

“Who knows? We might finish this process before Thursday June 20.”

Mr Walker said he expected the final two candidates to remain in the race.

He said: “The expectation is that if they are in the final two, they will go through and put themselves before the membership through the membership hustings.

“We have had the conversation with those who have indicated they are going to put their papers in.”