AND THEY'RE OFF!
Would-be PM Boris Johnson kicks off race to replace Theresa May as he praises her ‘stoical service’ to Britain
THE race to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister has finally begun - with Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and Jeremy Hunt in pole position.
This morning Boris praised her "stoical service" to Britain as he quietly prepared to run to replace her.
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Minutes after her speech, he tweeted: "A very dignified statement from @theresa_may. Thank you for your stoical service to our country and the Conservative Party. It is now time to follow her urgings: to come together and deliver Brexit."
This afternoon he would have boosted his support among many right-wingers in the Tory party by saying today we have to get out of the EU by October 31 - deal or No Deal.
"The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal," he said today at a conference in Switzerland.
And he added: "A new leader will have the opportunity to do things differently and have the momentum of a new administration.
"The job of our next leader has to be getting the UK properly out of the EU, putting Brexit to bed."
Other leadership contenders lined up to praise the PM this afternoon for her dignified speech, and for doing her best to try and deliver Brexit.
Matt Hancock said her speech was "incredibly moving" and that she had "given her all in service of her country".
Sajid Javid said "nobody could have worked harder or had a greater sense of public duty".
And Andrea Leadsom, who resigned this week over Brexit which led to her departure, added: "She did her upmost, and I wish her all the very best."
Now Theresa May's officially declared she's going to quit then a leadership battle can begin, after months of speculation that the PM was about to quit.
Unofficial leadership campaigns have been quietly getting underway, with Tory MPs telling The Sun they are being wooed by the leadership contenders, desperate to get their backing.
The leadership election could be sped up and fast tracked if MPs want a new leader in ASAP.
But there will almost certainly be a few weeks as candidates hold debates and try and woo over Tories up and down the country.
During the imminent leadership contest’s first stage, the 313 Tory MPs narrow down the field contest for the party’s 150,000-strong membership to pick between.
Then the final two go up against the membership for a final vote.
It's likely to be a Brexiteer candidate going up against a Remain one, but nothing's certain.
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BORIS JOHNSON 7/4
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Boris was one of the first to declare he would actually be running for the top job, saying "of course" he'll be going for it.
The ex-Foreign Secretary is the bookies' favourite and likely to win over the Eurosceptic members too.
But he's less popular among Tory MPs and will have to work hard to make it down to the final two.
His Brexiteer credentials and natural flair and popularity will do well to boost his case.
Boris also tried to work in Government but quit after Mrs May's deal was published last year, giving him a clear edge over Remainers who don't support our EU exit.
Dominic Raab 5/1
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Quite a way behind Boris in the leadership race is fellow Brexiteer Dominic Raab, who quit as Brexit Secretary over the PM's finalised Brexit deal.
The ex-minister has been arguing for a clean Brexit ever since, and has demanded the PM go back to the EU and negotiate more on the hated Northern Ireland backstop.
He's already said if he were elected then he would shave a penny off income tax to help working Brits, and would fight for tougher employment rights for mums.
He's said a No Deal wouldn't be the end of the world for Britain either.
And he's got the backing of his predecessor in the job too, David Davis.
Jeremy Hunt 10/1
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The former health service boss was promoted to Foreign Secretary after securing a £20billion funding increase for the struggling NHS.
His net worth was estimated to be around £14million, following the sale of his firm Hotcourses in 2017.
He's spent his time in office so far fighting for persecuted Christians around the world.
But he's also well-known for a gaffe where he accidentally said his Chinese wife was from Japan.
Michael Gove - 12/1
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The Environment Secretary has achieved a remarkable turnaround since knifing Boris Johnson during the 2016 leadership contest.
His support among party members dropped through the floor and it seemed his chances were gone for ever.
But Mr Gove, who led the Leave campaign in the EU referendum, has rebranded himself as an ecowarrior as Environment Secretary.
He has also thrown his full support behind Theresa May's Brexit plan, winning him friends among MPs if not the party faithful.
Andrea Leadsom - 20/1
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The now ex-Commons leader will be seeing a boost to her leadership credentials after resigning over the PM's new Brexit deal.
The Brexiteer was cheered when she dramatically quit on Thursday evening as the PM fought to cling on in No10.
Mrs Leadsom's run for the leadership of the Tory party once before, going up against Mrs May in 2016.
But she was forced to withdraw from the race when she appeared to suggest she would make a better PM because she had kids.
She was brought into the PM's Cabinet as environment secretary and Commons leader before she quit.
Mrs Leadsom also had a role in the downfall of Sir Michael Fallon after she accused him of lewd sexual comments.
Sajid Javid - 20/1
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The Home Secretary ended up backing Remain during the EU referendum but is popular among the Tory parliamentary party.
Mr Javid was appointed to his role in the wake of the Windrush scandal and the resignation of Amber Rudd.
He's been keen to show he will be tough on crime and terror - notably for revoking the citizenship of Isis bride Shamima Begum.
A known Eurosceptic, some of his statements in recent months and his backing for a harder Brexit have been taken as signs he is keen to make a serious pitch for the top job.
The MP for Bromsgrove in Worcestershire is a former managing director at Deutsche Bank.
Matt Hancock 25/1
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The Health Secretary tried to break the ice in a crunch Cabinet meeting earlier this week by turning up with a packet of waffles.
He's already raked in £100,000 in donations from digital tech entrepreneurs, The Sun revealed this week.
And he's won admirers for his positive and optimistic brand of conservatism and his track record of getting things done.
Penny Mordaunt 25/1
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Another female Brexiteer to watch out for is Penny Mordaunt.
She's just been promoted to Defence Secretary after Gavin Williamson was sacked earlier this month, which is fitting as she is a Navy reservist.
Previously the former Splash! contestant ran the Department for International Development.
Rory Stewart 28/1
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A popular junior minister in the Justice department, Mr Stewart's recently been promoted to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development.
He's been fiercely loyal to the PM in her hour of need, taking to the airwaves to defend her at every opportunity.
He'a got an incredibly varies background - from serving in the British Army to working as a diplomat in Kosovo and Iraq. He spent 21 months walking across Iran, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Nepal.
Esther McVey 60/1
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The ex-Work and Pensions Secretary became the first Tory to declare she would probably run to be leader - and has said she backs a No Deal Brexit.
She has said Britain has to leave by October 31 no matter what.
The ex-GMTV presenter quit over the PM's deal too last year.
She successfully won more money from Philip Hammond for the Government's controversial Universal Credit benefits programme.
James Cleverly 60/1
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The Brexit minister has been mulling the top job too, despite only entering Parliament in 2015.
Housing minister Kit Malthouse and Mr Cleverly are discreetly setting up campaign teams to challenge to be PM, The Sun revealed this month.
Mr Cleverly, 49, won broad plaudits for his broadcast skills in defending the troubled Tory government in his former role as deputy Tory chairman.
A supporter of ex-Army officer Mr Cleverly’s added: “For all their Oxbridge degrees, so few of the current leadership crop can sell and inspire like James can."
Liz Truss 66/1
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The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has made headlines this year for her outspoken defence of the Conservatives - even when her comments have been controversial.
She's insisted the Government shouldn't be meddling in the lives of Brits and has called for an end to "nanny" projects like HS2.
Opening up Britain's trade to the rest of the world will be one of her priorities, she's also said.
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The Outsiders:
Johnny Mercer 100/1
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The rising star Tory has been tipped for leader thanks to his straight talking and fierce defence of veterans.
But he said last night he's "not good enough" to run yet and will be throwing his weight behind Boris instead.
Steve Baker 150/1
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The Brexiteer backbencher has been incredibly influential in the sustained attack on Mrs May and her Brexit deal.
He said this morning he was thinking about running, but he would find it hard to get the support of Remainers and more moderate Tories.
Justine Greening - 200/1
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The current outsider is former education secretary, Justine Greening.
She's demanding a so-called People's Vote on Brexit to try and keep us in the EU.
Remainer Tory Rory Stewart vows to stop a Brexiteer becoming PM and going for No Deal
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