Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom hoping to make final two in Tory leadership race

South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom will learn whether she has made the final two in the Tory leadership contest later today after the second round of balloting opened this morning.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Jul 2016, 10:09 BST

Updated 7th Jul 2016, 11:12 BST

The 53-year-old former banker came second in the first round of polling held on Tuesday.

May won with 165 of the 329 votes cast, while Mrs Leadsom came second with 66 votes.

Michael Gove came third with 48 votes, followed by Stephen Crabb with 34 and Liam Fox with 16.

Both Fox and Crabb have now pulled out of the race.

Today MPs will whittle the leadership race down to two, though a leaked text message has suggested Michael Gove’s camp is urging Leadsom supporters to vote for Theresa May.

Once the final two have been selected today, the decision to pick the winner will be left to the 150,000 strong Tory membership.

Conservative party members will pick their favourite in a postal vote, expected to take place a the end of July.

The winner will then be announced on September 9.