Conservative leadership election: date, how Tory Party will pick new prime minister, what is 1922 Committee?

The new Prime Minister will be decided upon after a series of votes - here’s a timeline of when we’ll know the results
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The race for the next leader of the Conservative Party is underway after Boris Johnson announced his resignation.

Eleven MPs initially put forward their leadership campaigns, but the field of candidates has since been whittled down - with six securing enough backing to make it into the second round of voting.

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The successful candidate will be decided upon by both Conservative MPs and Conservative party members after a series of votes over the coming weeks, with Mr Johnson set to remain Prime Minister until his replacement is chosen.

This comes after the Government blocked Labour’s request for a vote of no confidence.

Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister on 7 JulyBoris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister on 7 July
Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister on 7 July

So, when will the UK have a new Prime Minister, and how exactly does the selection process work? Here’s everything you need to know.

When will the new Prime Minister be decided upon?

The UK is set to have a new Prime Minister by 5 September.

This will happen after a series of votes take place over the next two weeks, in which the candidates will be whittled down to the final two.

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The Conservative Party headquarters in London will announce the winner on 5 September, and the new Prime Minister will appear in the House of Commons for their first PMQs battle with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer two days later.

How does the election process work?

Following the election of the new members to the 1922 committee, chairman Sir Graham Brady confirmed the process and timetable the party will be following to elect a new elader.

The new leader of the Conservative Party will be chosen first by Conservative MPs and then by party members.

As the Tories have a majority in the House of Commons, the new leader will also become the next Prime Minister.

Here’s how the selection process worksHere’s how the selection process works
Here’s how the selection process works

Here are the steps:

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12 July - Nominations were submitted to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee. Candidates who did not receive 5% of the votes - or, in other words, the backing of 20 MPs (18 MPs, a proposer and a seconder) - were eliminated.

13 July - The first round of voting took place with the result announced in the early evening. MPs with the support of less than 30 votes dropped out - this equates to just less than 10% of the parliamentary party. Jeremy Hunt and Nadhim Zahawi both fell short.

14 July - The second round of voting takes place. The last placed candidate will drop out.

17 July - There will be a televised debate between the remaining leadership contenders.

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18 July - The potential future prime ministers will be questioned by the 1922 Committee, a group of senior Tory MPs, and the anti-woke Common Sense Group.

20 July - There will be a third round of votes, with either one or two ballots depending on the number of candidates remaining.

21 July - This is scheduled to be the final day of voting, where only two candidates will remain.

July/August - Throughout the rest of July and into August, the remaining contenders will attend a series of debates, interviews and events where they will be grilled on their leadership campaigns.

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Members of the Conservative Party will be encouraged to vote for their choice of leader by postal vote by a date set by the 1922 Committee (most likely late August), before the new Prime Minister is announced on 5 September.

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