Boris Johnson ‘delivered Brexit and great vaccine roll-out’, says Rishi Sunak; Penny Mordaunt on 30 supporters as Sunak secures 165 ahead of 2 pm Monday deadline
Sunak closes in on No 10 as Johnson pulls out of race
Johnson’s withdrawal from the race late on Sunday puts pressure on Penny Mordaunt, the third candidate in the race, to withdraw and accept that Sunak had the support of the parliamentary party, with almost half of MPs backing him. She had only 30 public backers by Sunday night – 70 short of the number needed to get on the ballot paper.
A source on the Mordaunt campaign insisted her campaign was continuing and that she wanted to get on the ballot so party members could decide the result.