The Conservative Party has revealed that the next Prime Minister will be announced in the week beginning July 22nd.
It comes as the party announced significant changes to the rules on how they will select their new leader.
The revised rules were brought in after party grandees worried that the race, which until yesterday featured 13 candidates, would drag on and on plunging the country into yet more constitutional chaos.
In a joint statement, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis and the acting joint chairs of the 1922 Committee Cheryl Gillan and Charles Walker said: "Candidates will be required to submit a nomination including a proposer, a seconder and six other Members of Parliament supporting their candidacy.
"Ballots of MPs will then be held over the course of the following two weeks.
"After the first ballot, any candidate receiving 16 votes or fewer will be eliminated.
"After the second ballot, any candidate receiving 32 votes or fewer will be eliminated.
"If the ballot thresholds are met by all candidates, then the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated.
"Balloting will continue until two candidates remain."
How the vote will work
- A call for candidates will be made at 5pm on Friday 7 June 2019. Nominations will be received from 10am Monday 10 June and will close at 5pm on the same day.
- Candidates will be required to submit a nomination including a proposer, a seconder and six other Members of Parliament supporting their candidacy.
- Ballots of MPs will then be held over the course of the following two weeks.
- After the first ballot, any candidate receiving sixteen votes or fewer will be eliminated.
- After the second ballot, any candidate receiving thirty two votes or fewer will be eliminated.
- If the ballot thresholds are met by all candidates, then the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated.
- Balloting will continue until two candidates remain.
- The first ballot will take place on Thursday 13 June, from 10am to 12pm. Further ballots are scheduled for 18 June, 19 June and 20 June.
- The Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan MP and Charles Walker OBE MP will act as returning officers for the election.
