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Tory leadership: Theresa May tops first vote but Liam Fox out Tory leadership: Theresa May tops first vote but Liam Fox out
(35 minutes later)
Home Secretary Theresa May has comfortably won the first round of the contest to become the next Conservative leader and UK prime minister.Home Secretary Theresa May has comfortably won the first round of the contest to become the next Conservative leader and UK prime minister.
Mrs May got 165 of the 329 votes cast by Tory MPs. Andrea Leadsom came second with 66 votes. Michael Gove got 48.Mrs May got 165 of the 329 votes cast by Tory MPs. Andrea Leadsom came second with 66 votes. Michael Gove got 48.
Liam Fox, who came last with 16 votes, has been eliminated. Stephen Crabb, who got 34 votes, has decided to drop out. Liam Fox, who came last with 16 votes, has been eliminated. Stephen Crabb, in fourth with 34 votes, has dropped out.
Further voting will narrow the field to two. The eventual outcome, decided by party members, is due on 9 September.Further voting will narrow the field to two. The eventual outcome, decided by party members, is due on 9 September.
Mrs May - who went in to the contest as the frontrunner - and Mr Crabb, the work and pensions secretary, both campaigned for the UK to stay in the EU. Following the result, frontrunner Mrs May - who campaigned for the UK to stay in the EU - received the backing of Mr Fox, a former defence secretary and Brexit campaigner, and Mr Crabb, the work and pensions secretary, who backed Remain.
Mrs Leadsom, an energy minister, Mr Gove, the justice secretary, and Mr Fox, a former defence secretary, campaigned for Brexit. But Mr Gove, the justice secretary and a leading Leave campaigner, insisted he would stay in the race, saying the winner should be someone who backed Brexit.
The leadership contest has been sparked by David Cameron's decision to step down as prime minster after the UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU, in the 23 June referendum. Mrs Leadsom, an energy minister, was also a key figure in the campaign to leave the EU, appearing alongside Boris Johnson in some of the TV debates.
The leadership contest was sparked by David Cameron's decision to step down as prime minster after the UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU, in the 23 June referendum.
The prime minister, who had campaigned strongly for a Remain victory, said "fresh leadership" was required as the UK negotiates its exit from the European Union.The prime minister, who had campaigned strongly for a Remain victory, said "fresh leadership" was required as the UK negotiates its exit from the European Union.
'Big job'
The process of choosing a successor - and the new prime minister - began on Tuesday, as 329 of the 330 Conservative MPs took part in a secret ballot between 11:00 and 18:00 BST.The process of choosing a successor - and the new prime minister - began on Tuesday, as 329 of the 330 Conservative MPs took part in a secret ballot between 11:00 and 18:00 BST.
The result was announced half an hour later by Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, with Mrs May securing a comfortable lead over her rivals.The result was announced half an hour later by Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, with Mrs May securing a comfortable lead over her rivals.
Commenting on the outcome, Mrs May - who campaigned for the UK to stay in the EU but who has said she will deliver Brexit if PM - said she was "pleased" and "grateful" to colleagues for their support. Mrs May - who has said she will deliver Brexit if PM - said she was "pleased" with the result and "grateful" to colleagues for their support.
She said there was a "big job" ahead to unite the party and the country following the referendum, to "negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU" and to "make Britain work for everyone".She said there was a "big job" ahead to unite the party and the country following the referendum, to "negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU" and to "make Britain work for everyone".
She added: "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."She added: "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."
Mr Fox - for whom this is his second shot at the Tory top job, after he came third in the 2005 contest which Mr Cameron won - said he was "disappointed" to be knocked out. Mr Fox - for whom this is his second shot at the Tory top job, after he came third in the 2005 contest which Mr Cameron won - said he was "disappointed" to be knocked out, but did not regret standing.
But he said he did not regret standing in the contest.
"I felt it was vital to stress the importance of national security in this debate and the need for a clear path to our exit from the European Union. I hope I have achieved both these objectives.""I felt it was vital to stress the importance of national security in this debate and the need for a clear path to our exit from the European Union. I hope I have achieved both these objectives."
Mr Fox - who has previously said the new leader must be a Brexit supporter, given the result of the referendum - announced that he would now be backing, and campaigning for, Mrs May.Mr Fox - who has previously said the new leader must be a Brexit supporter, given the result of the referendum - announced that he would now be backing, and campaigning for, Mrs May.
He said it was essential that the new leader, given that they will also be prime minister in a matter of weeks, has an understanding "at the top levels of government and of international affairs" and knows how the Whitehall process works.He said it was essential that the new leader, given that they will also be prime minister in a matter of weeks, has an understanding "at the top levels of government and of international affairs" and knows how the Whitehall process works.
Mr Crabb - who was formerly Welsh secretary before his promotion to work and pensions secretary - opted to voluntarily withdraw from the race on Tuesday evening. Mr Crabb - formerly Welsh secretary before his promotion to work and pensions secretary - opted to voluntarily withdraw from the race on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, he said he had been "overwhelmed" by colleagues' support for his leadership bid. He told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg he had been "overwhelmed" by colleagues' support.
But he said the result of the vote showed Mrs May was the "only candidate" in a position to unite the party and to form "a cohesive and strong government" - and pledged his support for her candidacy. But he said the result of the vote showed Mrs May was the "only candidate" able to unite the party and to form "a cohesive and strong government" - and pledged his support for her candidacy.
Mr Crabb said, in his view, the quicker a new leader and prime minister was in place "the better", given the "seriousness of the situation facing the country". Mr Crabb also said, in his view, the quicker a new leader and prime minister was in place "the better", given the "seriousness of the situation facing the country".
Asked if he thought the contest could be settled before 9 September, he said: "That will be for others to decide."Asked if he thought the contest could be settled before 9 September, he said: "That will be for others to decide."
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, who is backing Mrs Leadsom - one of the leading Brexit campaigners who also counts Boris Johnson among her backers - said it was "a good result" for her candidate. Mr Gove said he was "delighted" by the support he had received, saying it reflected his "optimistic message" about Britain's future outside the EU.
She said Mrs Leadsom's team would be "working hard" to increase her support ahead of the next round of voting. "I think the country deserves to have a leader who believes in Britain outside the European Union and who also has experience at the highest level of government," he said, adding that he would be seeking to shore up support to try to get on the final ballot.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, who is backing Mrs Leadsom - who also counts Boris Johnson among her backers - said it was "a good result" for her candidate.
"I think we've had a clear steer so far that Theresa (May) and Andrea (Leadsom) are the best people to go forward to the membership," Ms Villiers added."I think we've had a clear steer so far that Theresa (May) and Andrea (Leadsom) are the best people to go forward to the membership," Ms Villiers added.
Meanwhile, MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said justice secretary and prominent Brexit campaigner Mr Gove, who he is supporting, had done "really very well". The three remaining contenders are due to face a second MPs' vote on Thursday to whittle the field down to two names, who will then go forward to a vote of the entire Conservative membership.
He predicted Mr Gove would pick up more votes in the next round from MPs who backed Eurosceptic Liam Fox.
The Somerset MP also suggested the support for Mrs May amongst MPs would not necessarily be reflected by the wider party membership.
He said there was a majority of Remain-backing MPs in the Tory party but in the membership "more people supported Leave".
"And that will be very powerful for whichever Brexiteer gets through to the final round. And it is important to have a contest that represents the Brexit view," he added.
The three remaining contenders are due to face a second MPs' vote on Thursday, followed by a final round next Tuesday - unless any of the candidates has dropped out by that time - to whittle the field down to two.
Those two candidates will then go forward to a vote of the entire Conservative membership, with the eventual outcome of the contest to be revealed on 9 September.