Next week Conservative MPs will choose a new Prime Minister following the resignation of Liz Truss. The contest is due to be completed by October 28.
Would-be candidates need at least 100 nominations from fellow Tory MPs to get on the ballot. As there there are 357 Tory MPs a maximum of three candidates could stand.
But it's likely to be two candidates; or possibly one, who would become leader without a vote by party members. We asked Greater Manchester eight Tory MPs who they will backing.
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This is what they said...
Bury North MP James Daly broke his silence first and told the Manchester Evening News he would be telling his local Conservative Party association who he plans to back at a meeting tonight before making his choice public this weekend. Later in the day, he posted a video to his Twitter account, confirming that Rishi Sunak has his vote.
He said: "Never ever has there been a more important decision. We face economic challenges in our country that cannot be underestimated.
"We need a period of economic stability. We need a politician to be Prime Minister of our country, who has economic experience, who has been proven right about the economic policies that this country needs to follow, to get back to prosperity.
"Who I'm going to vote for is nothing about the politics or whether people vote for me, it's about my country wanting to do the thing that is going to ensure that we have the right type of policies that tackle inflation, tackle interest rates, that make sure and do everything possible to keep interest rates and mortgages down; to keep borrowing costs down; to make sure that we have a sensible energy policy where people can afford to pay their bills over the winter period.
"I will be voting for Rishi Sunak. I believe he's the only candidate that offers the experience, the programme, the vision to be able to go into 10 Downing Street immediately and provide the stability that this country needs. This is not a game, this is about people's lives and that's why I'm backing Rishi Sunak."
The only other Greater Manchester MP who came back to the M.E.N is Altrincham and Sale West MP and chair of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady , who confirmed that he would have to remain neutral, as he is the returning officer for the contest.
Some other MPs took to social media to confirm who they would be backing.
Mary Robinson , MP for Cheadle, shared a post on her website that confirmed she would be backing Penny Mordaunt. She wrote: "I believe that Penny Mordaunt is the best candidate for Prime Minister, and I will be backing her and her campaign. Penny is an experienced Minister who can unite our country and deliver our pledges to the country.
"It is important that the Conservative Party fall behind the new Prime Minister and work together to deliver for the country. There are plenty of challenges ahead - both at home and abroad, and it is important that we focus on these and not internal party politics."
Bolton North East MP Mark Logan posted a selfie from his hospital bed, where he is currently recovering from a cycling injury, to Twitter. In the background of the photograph was a whiteboard on the wall, which had 'Rishi' written on it, confirming his favoured candidate.
Chris Clarkson ( Heywood and Middleton ) and James Grundy ( Leigh ) both voiced support for Boris Johnson ahead of a vote of no confidence in June. Neither responded to the M.E.N but both will be lending their support to him again, according to The Times.
Chris Green (Bolton West) and William Wragg (Stockport) did not reply to the M.E.N either .
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