Sunak remains favorite to replace Truss as UK PM

Rishi Sunak is the firm favourite to replace Liz Truss as UK prime minister – with the support of more than half of Tory MPs.

House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt is still in the contest and racing to secure 100 MP backers by the 14:00 deadline

Her campaign claims to have 90 Tory MPs on her side – although fewer than 30 supporters have confirmed their backing publicly. Key backers of Boris Johnson – who dropped out of the contest on Sunday evening – are calling for the party to get behind Sunak.

They include ex-home secretary Priti Patel and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly

Johnson claimed he had reached the support needed to stand but said it would not be “the right thing to do” – a move praised by both Sunak and Mordaunt

The influential European Research Group (ERG) of Brexit-supporting Tory MPs says it can’t agree on a single candidate – while one prominent Mordaunt supporter urges her to do a deal with Sunak.

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Labour have reiterated their call for a general election, as have the Scottish National Party.

Conservative MP George Freeman, who earlier pledged his support for Penny Mordaunt, says he will now be voting for Rishi Sunak to be the next prime minister.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, Freeman says that though Mordaunt is a “fantastic candidate” who should be at the top of the next Conservative cabinet, “it is essential that we come together to demonstrate stability and unity”.

He says the party needs a “unity ticket” in wake of the economic situation, and that there’s no point spending another four to five days voting for a leader.

He adds that he hopes Mordaunt will pick up the phone to Rishi today in order to strike a deal.