MORDAUNT OUT, SUNAK WINS

Penny Mordaunt could not secure the backing of 100 Tory MPs and pulled out of the leadership race minutes before the 14:00 deadline.  Graham Brady confirmed that only one candidate had entered nominations and duly anointed Rishi Sunak as the latest leader of the Conservative party.

Sunak will be confirmed as the new PM tomorrow, the first of Asian descent and at 42 the youngest for more than 200 years.  Just seven weeks ago he was rejected by Tory party members and will now enter Number Ten without their endorsement.