May comes top in first round of Tory leadership voting, Fox eliminated

Graham Brady has announced the results of the first round of the Tory leadership contest as follows: Stephen Crabb 34, Liam Fox 16, Michael Gove 48, Andrea Leadsom 66, Theresa May 165.

So as expected, Theresa May is out on top by a considerable margin, but what is striking is how close Michael Gove has come to Andrea Leadsom, given the rather visceral reaction in the Tory party to the way he treated Boris Johnson last week. Perhaps some of Leadsom’s support drifted away after last night’s hustings which even her supporters acknowledge did not go particularly well.

There may now be pressure on Stephen Crabb to drop out after a not-particularly-good showing, which would speed up the contest, something even those resisting a coronation would be quite happy with.

Fox’s exit hardly comes as a surprise – least of all to the former Defence Secretary, who seemed to be pitching for a top government job, rather than seriously hoping that he could lead the Conservative party.

More to follow…