Tory leadership election: Boris Johnson wins first round by landslide as McVey, Leadsom and Harper all exit contest

Matt Hancock, who had 20 votes, said he had "more votes from colleagues than I could have hoped for".

Rory Stewart, the international development secretary, said he was "absolutely over the moon" to have secured just enough votes to survive the first ballot.

He said: "Remember, I had six declared votes and I have more than tripled that, so I'm really really happy and candidates who started that contest with four times the number of declared votes as me are now almost level pegging with me.

"This is now neck and neck going into the next round and for somebody who passionately believes that politics is about listening and who made a difficult decision to start this campaign not in this place but outside listening to people, I feel really inspired and encouraged and desperate to do more for the people who are supporting me out there."

He said it was a "very open race" to enter the final two alongside Boris Johnson and that he would be reaching out to "every single colleague" ahead of the next round.

"I'm going to have to now say to those who are neck and neck with me, I'm afraid this is the time to be serious."

Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary who received 27 votes, said: "I'm proud and honoured to have the support of so many brilliant colleagues today.

"This campaign is just getting started and we've got a good base to build on.

"I'm the change candidate who can be trusted to deliver Brexit by October and has the vision and energy to take Britain forward, and beat Jeremy Corbyn."

Jeremy Hunt, who was runner-up to Boris Johnson, said he was "delighted" to come second.

Dominic Raab, who got 27 votes, said he was "honoured" to have the support of his colleagues.

David Gauke, the justice secretary, said Rory Stewart was now the main challenger to Boris Johnson, stating: "He's really in with a chance and the momentum is with Rory.

"He's causing a stir. He's the one that looks like he can provide the real challenge to Boris.

"We have got an opportunity now to have a debate about the future of the Conservative Party.

"There's Boris's vision and the contrast is provided by Rory Stewart."

Rory Stewart has come out swinging after making it through the first round - with a promise to bring Boris Johnson down if he tries to push through a no-deal Brexit.

He tells Sky News that proroguing parliament is an 'unconstitutional, improper, really disturbing suggestion' and urges Mr Johnson to be straight with the public on his plans.

He says: "If he were to try, I and every other member of parliament will sit across the road in Methodist Central Hall and we will hold our own session of parliament and we will bring him down because you do not ever lock the doors on parliament in this country."

Stewart compared Mr Johnson to Charles I and urged him to 'think it through'.

Penny Mordaunt, the Brexiteer defence secretary who is supporting Jeremy Hunt's campaign, said: "I think he's attractive to many sides of the party because he's a serious individual.

"But he's also, I think, set out a clear and realistic plan for how we're going to get the best Brexit possible for the country because we don't just have to do this, we have to do it really well, and that's why he's got my support."

Fed up of the Brexit chaos?

Supporters of a Final Say referendum are expected to throng the streets of London for a fourth time in what is set to be one of the biggest demonstrations Britain has ever seen – just weeks before the scheduled date of Brexit.

The Independent’s Final Say campaign, in partnership with the People’s Vote organisation, has announced the Let Us Be Heard march will take place on Saturday 12 October – 19 days before the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union on 31 October.

Find out more here:

Chris Grayling, who is backing Boris Johnson, rejected claims that his favourite was "yesterday's news".

Mr Grayling said: "I am convinced that the man who reaches the parts that perhaps not every candidate can reach when it comes to winning elections, as he proved in London, that Boris is the man to take us forward right now."