Can Leadsom win?
The Telegraph reports:
Boris Johnson has given his backing to Andrea Leadsom in the Conservative Party leadership campaign, in a move which could end Michael Gove’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister.
Boris would probably now endorse Jeremy Corbyn over Michael Gove.
In an intervention that will transform the Tory leadership race, Mr Johnson praises Mrs Leadsom’s “zap, drive and determination”.
He says she combines a “better understanding of finance” than almost any other MP with “considerable experience of Government”. …
Mrs Leadsom is now likely to emerge as the main challenger to Theresa May, the Home Secretary.
It came after a poll of Conservative activists by the ConservativeHome website found that Mrs Leadsom has pulled ahead of Mrs May.
The poll found that she had the support of 38 per cent of party members, compared to Mrs May’s 37 per cent.
May is in a strong position but the fact she was pro Leave may mean at the end of the day the party members won’t back her. Time will tell.
UPDATE: The results of the first ballot were:
- Theresa May 165
- Andrea Leadsom 66
- Michael Gove 48
- Stephen Crabb 34
- Liam Fox 16
So Fox is eliminated and in two days they vote again to knock one more out. Almost certainly to be Crabb as he’d have to get almost all of Fox’s votes to beat Gove.
UPDATE2: Crabb has pulled out and endorsed May. So it is one more ballot only of MPs, with it being between Leadsom and Gove for 2nd spot.
The top two candidates then go out to a ballot of all party members.