Tory leadership contest: Theresa May 'pleased' with victory in first round
'There is a big job before us: to unite our party and the country, to negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU, and to make Britain work for everyone'
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has welcomed her victory in the first round of voting for the Conservative Party leadership.
Ms May, who comfortably won the first round with 165 votes, has said she is “pleased” with the result and hopes to "unite [the Conservative] party and the country" in the wake of the EU referendum.
The Home Secretary was followed by Andrea Leadsom with 66 votes, Michael Gove on 48 and Stephen Crabb on 34.
The former defence secretary Liam Fox was eliminated from the race after receiving only 16 votes from MPs.
Mr Crabb later withdrew from the leadership contest and announced he would back Ms May, saying she is the “only one candidate in a position to unite our party and lead a strong and cohesive government.”. Ms May is also supported by Dr Fox who commended her "experience".
Following the result, Mrs May said: "I am pleased with this result, and very grateful to my colleagues for their support. There is a big job before us: to unite our party and the country, to negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU, and to make Britain work for everyone.
"I am the only candidate capable of delivering these three things as Prime Minister, and tonight it is clear that I am also the only one capable of drawing support from the whole of the Conservative Party."
Further rounds will take place on Thursday and the following Tuesday until only two contenders remain. The leader of the party – and Prime Minister – will be chosen from these two in a ballot of about 150,000 Conservative Party members, due to end on 9 September.
Independent declarations of support verified by the Press Association show Ms May, the longest serving Home Secretary in 100 years, has the backing of 130 MPs, putting her ahead of Ms Leadsom, the junior energy minister and Leave campaigner, who has 40.
The results came after a new polls revealed Ms May had opened up a commanding lead in the contest, indicating she could win by 32 points. The Times/YouGov poll is also encouraging for Mrs Leadsom who, it suggests, would beat rival Michael Gove convincingly in a final round run-off.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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