Prime Minister Theresa May was to meet on Wednesday with the leader of Britain's main opposition party in a bid to thrash out a Brexit compromise with just days to go until the deadline for leaving the bloc.
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Mrs May has said she will resign once MPs back her Brexit deal. Though uncertainty remains over if and when this will occur, candidates are throwing their hats in the ring to be the next PM.
Let’s take a look at which contenders have jumped on the chance to get their foot through the door of Number 10.
Boris Johnson
Considered ‘the marmite candidate’ – love him or hate him, Boris will be Boris.
Asked at a business event in Manchester if he would be a candidate, he responded in classic Boris style:
“I’m going to go for it. Of course I’m going to go for it. I don’t think that is any particular secret to anybody.”
Twice elected as London Mayor, he has a lot of supporters. But his opponents would say he doesn’t have the best track record as former foreign secretary.
Nicola Sturgeon has even called him a “charlatan” and said people across Scotland would be horrified if he became Prime Minister.
Michael Gove
A top dog in the Leave campaign.
His opponents would claim he left a failing education system as Education Secretary, but he’s received more praise for his ideas in his role as Environment Secretary.
Does he have what it takes to get him to Number 10?
Jeremy Hunt
Hunt is relatively popular in his current position as Foreign Secretary.
However, he experienced a rockier ride in his former role as Health Secretary – introducing controversial NHS reviews.
Whilst he supported Remain in the referendum, he joins Theresa May in saying that Brexit must be delivered.
Dominic Raab
In agreeing to speak with the Sunday Times, claims have emerged that Raab has jumped on to the party leadership bandwagon too early.
He will be remembered for having resigned in November 2018 as Brexit Secretary, citing his disapproval over the Cabinet position on the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.
Sajid Javid
The Home Secretary backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver.
He hasn’t confirmed that he will run for leadership but could be a likely candidate.
The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he’d be the first ethnic minority leader of any major UK party.
Penny Mordaunt
The first woman to be Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt is seen by her supporters as “a rising star”.
She’s one of the Cabinet’s most prominent Brexiteers. But her opponents say she may not have enough experience for the role of PM.
Andrea Leadsom
She came to fame in 2016 when she unsuccessfully ran for the leadership against Theresa May in the 2016 contest. Can she beat her this time round?
Mrs Leadsom has now admitted she is “seriously considering” a second tilt at Number 10.
She maintains that a “determined Brexiteer” could have taken Britain out the EU by now.
Esther Mcvey
The former work and pension secretary quit the prime minister’s cabinet in November over her Brexit deal.
She said she would stand to be leader:
“I have always said quite clearly if I got enough support from my colleagues, yes I would.
“Now people have come forward and I have got that support, so I will be going forward.”
She could win support from backbench Leavers as an ardent Brexiteer.
Justine Greening
Former Cabinet minister Justine Greening has launched a series of attacks at the current leadership, comparing them to “captains on the Titanic”.
Last month she confirmed she would run to become leader to ensure there was a centrist candidate on the ballot.
Amber Rudd
The Remainer has refused to answer questions on whether she will run for the Conservative leadership.
But she could be a likely contender.
Amber Rudd made a return to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in November after her resignation as Home Secretary earlier this year following the Windrush scandal.
Rory Stewart
The International Development secretary was the first of cabinet to admit wanting May’s job. But he insisted he was not keen for Theresa May to step down immediately.
He warned the Conservatives the party would lose 4m votes if it pursued a hard version of Brexit to “outdo Nigel Farage”.
The race for Number 10 is on!
That already feels like quite a lengthy list of contenders. And what’s more is there are likely to be even more hopeful candidates, ready to step in once Theresa May is forced out.
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HeadlineTory leadership contest: Meet the contenders
Short HeadlineWho will be the next PM?
StandfirstWho will step into 10 Downing Street when Theresa May (eventually) makes her exit?
Mrs May has said she will resign once MPs back her Brexit deal. Though uncertainty remains over if and when this will occur, candidates are throwing their hats in the ring to be the next PM.
Let’s take a look at which contenders have jumped on the chance to get their foot through the door of Number 10.
Boris Johnson
Considered ‘the marmite candidate’ – love him or hate him, Boris will be Boris.
Asked at a business event in Manchester if he would be a candidate, he responded in classic Boris style:
“I’m going to go for it. Of course I’m going to go for it. I don’t think that is any particular secret to anybody.”
Twice elected as London Mayor, he has a lot of supporters. But his opponents would say he doesn’t have the best track record as former foreign secretary.
Nicola Sturgeon has even called him a “charlatan” and said people across Scotland would be horrified if he became Prime Minister.
Michael Gove
A top dog in the Leave campaign.
His opponents would claim he left a failing education system as Education Secretary, but he’s received more praise for his ideas in his role as Environment Secretary.
Does he have what it takes to get him to Number 10?
Jeremy Hunt
Hunt is relatively popular in his current position as Foreign Secretary.
However, he experienced a rockier ride in his former role as Health Secretary – introducing controversial NHS reviews.
Whilst he supported Remain in the referendum, he joins Theresa May in saying that Brexit must be delivered.
Dominic Raab
In agreeing to speak with the Sunday Times, claims have emerged that Raab has jumped on to the party leadership bandwagon too early.
He will be remembered for having resigned in November 2018 as Brexit Secretary, citing his disapproval over the Cabinet position on the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.
Sajid Javid
The Home Secretary backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver.
He hasn’t confirmed that he will run for leadership but could be a likely candidate.
The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he’d be the first ethnic minority leader of any major UK party.
Penny Mordaunt
The first woman to be Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt is seen by her supporters as “a rising star”.
She’s one of the Cabinet’s most prominent Brexiteers. But her opponents say she may not have enough experience for the role of PM.
Andrea Leadsom
She came to fame in 2016 when she unsuccessfully ran for the leadership against Theresa May in the 2016 contest. Can she beat her this time round?
Mrs Leadsom has now admitted she is “seriously considering” a second tilt at Number 10.
She maintains that a “determined Brexiteer” could have taken Britain out the EU by now.
Esther Mcvey
The former work and pension secretary quit the prime minister’s cabinet in November over her Brexit deal.
She said she would stand to be leader:
“I have always said quite clearly if I got enough support from my colleagues, yes I would.
“Now people have come forward and I have got that support, so I will be going forward.”
She could win support from backbench Leavers as an ardent Brexiteer.
Justine Greening
Former Cabinet minister Justine Greening has launched a series of attacks at the current leadership, comparing them to “captains on the Titanic”.
Last month she confirmed she would run to become leader to ensure there was a centrist candidate on the ballot.
Amber Rudd
The Remainer has refused to answer questions on whether she will run for the Conservative leadership.
But she could be a likely contender.
Amber Rudd made a return to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in November after her resignation as Home Secretary earlier this year following the Windrush scandal.
Rory Stewart
The International Development secretary was the first of cabinet to admit wanting May’s job. But he insisted he was not keen for Theresa May to step down immediately.
He warned the Conservatives the party would lose 4m votes if it pursued a hard version of Brexit to “outdo Nigel Farage”.
The race for Number 10 is on!
That already feels like quite a lengthy list of contenders. And what’s more is there are likely to be even more hopeful candidates, ready to step in once Theresa May is forced out.
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