1922 Committee confirm Tory leadership hopefuls need 100 votes to stand

Only three candidates will be allowed on the ballot paper of the Tory leadership election.

If three hopefuls gain the backing of the 100 MPs required, their colleagues will vote once to eliminate a candidate, then again in an “indicative vote” before the vote goes to party members.

This mechanism will demonstrate to party members, who have the final say, which candidate is preferred by MPs.

In this summer’s leadership election, the final vote by MPs was among the three remaining candidates.

Liz Truss had the support of around 30 per cent of MPs, only slightly ahead of Penny Mordaunt, who was eliminated.