Tory vote live: MPs narrow their choice for next leader

The contest for a place alongside Boris Johnson on the final ballot paper in the Tory leadership election is hotting up as Conservative MPs vote for a third time.

Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson appears assured of being one of the two candidates who will face a vote by 160,000 Tory members to choose the next prime minister after topping the ballot in the first two rounds of voting.

Here’s the latest:

5.15pm

Former defence secretary Gavin Williamson said “never comment on numbers” as he left the voting room.

5pm

4.45pm

4.30pm

Theresa May emerged from the third voting round to tell journalists “as I told you yesterday, none of your business” with a smile and a wag of her finger.

4.15pm

Speaking in the committee corridor outside the room where MPs were voting, Rory Stewart said he believed he had won support from two former backers of Dominic Raab, who was eliminated yesterday.

But Mr Stewart said he worried he may have lost support from a “female proxy voter”.

He said the “dark arts of Gavin Williamson’s proxy votes” could swing things, adding “this is all a mystery but we will know at 6 o’clock”.

4pm

3.50pm

Environment Secretary Michael Gove told reporters after he voted: “I’ve got wonderful support from wonderful people, so fingers crossed.”

3.30pm

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who only just survived the second round of voting, said he was “quietly confident” this time.

Asked where he expected to have won votes from, he said: “We’ll see – I’ll explain afterwards when I’ve won.”

3.20pm

Frontrunner Boris Johnson mumbled and smiled but did not answer questions from reporters after he voted in the third ballot.

3.15pm

Voting is under way in the third ballot in the Conservative Party leadership contest.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, asked if he had enough supporters to survive the round, said: “I think so.”