A NUMBER of senior Tories either threw their hat in the ring or ruled themselves out of the Conservative leadership contest on Thursday following Boris Johnson's resignation speech.
In a speech outside Number 10, Johnson confirmed his intention to step down after it became clear that's what his party wanted.
More than 50 ministers and aides had to resign for that to become apparent to the Prime Minister, who until the morning had intended to keep going. He now intends to stick around until the autumn.
Below is a list of the Conservatives who have either confirmed they'll stand, or won't stand, in the leadership contest - the timing of which will be confirmed next week.
Who IS standing
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and former health secretary Sajid Javid are both seriously considering running for Tory leader, PA reported.
Shapps did not resign from his role but did join a group of ministers telling Johnson to step down on Wednesday afternoon.
Javid was one of two senior ministers to kick off the exodus on Tuesday, when he and Sunak left their positions in protest over Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.
On Thursday afternoon Tory MP Damian Green gave the clearest indication yet that Tom Tugendhat (above) will run to replace Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party.
Green, an old ally of former prime minister Theresa May, told Sky News that he would be backing the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in any leadership contest.
Asked if Tugendhat was definitely running, he said: “I hope so, otherwise I wouldn’t be saying this. So, yes, I think you can, you can take it that Tom is going to run.”
Prominent Brexiteer and former minister Steve Baker, a senior Tory backbencher, confirmed that he is seriously considering putting himself forward for the top job.
He told Times Radio that people are asking him to do it, and it would be “dismissive and disrespectful” if he did not heed expressions of support, though he said he regards the prospect with “something akin to dread”.
Baker successfully plotted to oust May as prime minister but, despite his credentials as a Brexit die-hard, he is not a household name.
Attorney General Suella Braverman launched an unlikely leadership bid as support for Johnson crumbled around him on Wednesday night.
Previously loyal to the departing premier, she told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters “appallingly” in recent days and “the balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the Prime Minister – it pains me to say it – but it’s time to go”.
Braverman, who was first elected as an MP in 2015, is regarded as something of an outsider for the leadership given the party grandees already tipped to be in the running.
A Suella Braverman for PM Twitter account has sprung up, with Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne becoming the first to tweet his support for her bid.
Who is NOT running
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is not planning to stand to become the next Conservative Party leader, it has been reported by PA.
Meanwhile Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross (below) - the second least popular senior Tory after Johnson, according to Conservative Home - also ruled himself out of running for the top job, but tipped Raab to take over on an interim basis until a new leader could be chosen by Tory MPs.
Former levelling up secretary Michael Gove, who was sacked on Wednesday night after being labelled a "snake" by Number 10, has also ruled himself out of the running.
