Karim El-Bar
19 July 2022•Update: 20 July 2022
LONDON
Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch was knocked out of the leadership race on Tuesday to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and the country.
Now three candidates are in the race – former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, International Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
On Wednesday, one more round of voting will be held to eliminate one candidate, leaving just two contenders for the top position in the party. After that, they will campaign across the country before party members vote on the winner.
The winner of Tory leadership contest will be announced on Sept. 5 and automatically become the British prime minister.
Current Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously announced that he would resign, but would stay in post until a successor was elected. He has declined to back any candidate for fear of damaging their chances.
Senior MP expelled
Tobias Ellwood, a senior Conservative lawmaker and head of the defense select committee, lost his whip on Tuesday after he failed to vote in a vote of no confidence in the government on Monday.
Having the whip removed effectively means being expelled from the party in the British parliamentary system. In the event, the government won Monday's vote.
Ellwood is a long-time critic of Johnson, who recently called for Britain to rejoin the EU's single market.
He is a supporter of Mordaunt's campaign for leadership. However, since he was deprived of the whip, Ellwood was unable to cast a vote in the leadership election.
In a statement, Ellwood said: "Following my meeting yesterday with the president of Moldova I was unable to secure return travel due to unprecedented disruption both here and in the UK.
"I am very sorry to lose the whip but will now continue my meetings in Ukraine promoting the prime minister's efforts here and specifically seeking to secure the reopening of Odesa port – so vital grain exports can recommence."
