It’s been less than two months since Boris Johnson left Downing Street following months of scandal, yet once again the the hunt is on for the right person to lead the Conservative Party and the country.
After saying she “could not deliver the mandate on which she was elected” as Tory leader, Liz Truss said that she would stay on until a leadership election was “completed within the next week”.
And Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee, has confirmed that a new Prime Minister would be in place by Friday, October 28.
The exact way a new leader will be chosed has not be revealed, but there are plenty of candidates who might like to take on the job.
Here are the top 10 according to the bookies – along with their odds of success.
1. Rishi Sunak
Boris Johnson’s Chancellor was the bookies’ favourite to take over from his former boss, only to be beaten by Liz Truss in the poll of Tory members. At 1/1 (evens) he's also favourite to take over from Liz Truss. Before being Chancellor, Rishi Sunak served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2019 to 2020 and has been MP for Richmond (Yorks) since 2015. Photo: Leon Neal
2. Penny Mordaunt
Penny Mordaunt recently stepped in for Liz Truss when she was unable to attend parliament to answer an emergency question following the implosion of the so-called mini budget and, at 9/4, is second favourite to take over. She has been Minister of State for Trade Policy since 2021. She is MP for Portsmouth North and served in Theresa May's Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development from 2017-2019 and Secretary of State for Defence in 2019. Photo: Dan Kitwood
3. Boris Johnson
A man who needs no introduction, Boris Johnson may have only recently left 10 Downing Street but the bookies think he has a good chance of a swift and dramatic return - with odds of just 4/1. Photo: Leon Neal
4. Ben Wallace
Former soldier Ben Wallace was Boris Johnson's Secretary of State for Defence, a role he held from July 2019. He is an MP for Wyre and Preston North, and has was formerly a Conservative list MSP for North East Scotland from 1999 to 2003. Photo: Dan Kitwood