BREAKING: Boris Johnson tops third Conservative leadership ballot which sees Rory Stewart eliminated

By Joe Gerrard • 19 June 2019 • 19:18

WINNER: Johnson came first in the third leadership ballot. Credit: Shutterstock

FORMER Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has come first in the third ballot of Conservative MPs for the party leadership today (Wednesday).

The current front-runner won the backing of 143 MPs. International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, who ran on an anti-no deal Brexit platform, has been eliminated from the race after securing 27 votes.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt came second with 54 votes, followed by Environment Secretary Michael Gove with 51 and Home Secretary Sajid Javid with 38.

Stewart said he was ‘moved and inspired’ by the support he had received during the campaign.

“I did not get enough MPs to believe today but they will. I remain committed to you and this country,” he said on Twitter.

I am so moved & inspired by the support I have received over the last few weeks – it has given me a new faith in politics, a new belief in our country. I didn’t get enough MPs to believe today – but they will 🙂 I remain deeply committed to you and to this country. #RoryWalksOn

— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) June 19, 2019

Further ballots of MPs will take place in the coming days until the final two remaining candidates are put to a vote of Conservative party members who will chose Prime Minister Theresa May’s successor.