Tory members to choose between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss as Penny Mordaunt knocked out

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have made it through to the final two in the Tory leadership race, with Penny Mordaunt eliminated from the contest after the final round of voting by MPs.

Penny Mordaunt received 105 votes, Rishi Sunak 137 and Liz Truss 113 with the top two now facing a ballot of party members to decide the next Conservative leader and prime minister.

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Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, read out the results this afternoon before the final two faced their next electorate: the Tory membership.

Rishi Sunak’s campaign said he had secured a “clear mandate” from Tory MPs and will now “work night and day” to win the backing of the Conservative membership after he made it onto the final ballot for the leadership contest.

A statement read:

“This is a really strong result with a clear mandate from MPs.

“He will now work night and day to get the mandate from the wider Conservative party family to beat Labour, protect the Union and seize the opportunities of Brexit.

“The choice for members is very simple: who is the best person to beat Labour at the next election? The evidence shows that’s Rishi.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss thanked supporters for entrusting her after she made it onto the final ballot in the Tory leadership campaign.

She tweeted:

“Thank you for putting your trust in me. I’m ready to hit the ground from day one.”