Thursday 13 June 2019 10:37 am

Boris Johnson the overwhelming favourite as Conservative MPs vote in leadership election

A combination of pictures created in London on June 10, 2019 shows 9 of the 10 declared contenders the Conservative Party leadership contest: (top L-R) Conservativer MP Boris Johson, Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom, Britain’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove, Conservative MP Esther McVey, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, (bottom L-R) Britain’s International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, Britain’s Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Britain’s Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock and Conservative MP Dominic Raab. – Ten British Conservative MPs were formally announced Monday as having thrown their hats into the ring in the fight to replace Theresa May as party leader and Prime Minister, with her former foreign secretary Boris Johnson seen as the runaway favourite. The nominees are: Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Mark Harper, Rory Stewart and Matt Hancock. (Photo by STF / AFP) (Photo credit should read STF/AFP/Getty Images)

Conservative MPs are casting their votes this morning in the first round of voting to replace Theresa May as party leader.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the overwhelming favourite in the field of 10 candidates.

Tory MPs cast their votes in a room in parliament this morning between 9am and 11am.

Candidate with 16 votes or fewer will be eliminated, if all candidates have more than 16 votes, the one with the fewest votes will be eliminated.

The second round of voting is on 18 June, with further ballots planned for 19 and 20 June until there are two candidates remaining.

The two candidates will then be voted on by the Tory membership.

Johnson is the overwhelming favourite, with current odds from Ladbrokes giving him odds of 2/5.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt is second favourite on 7/1, followed by former leader of the house Andrea Leadsom on 10/1 and secretary of state for international development Rory Stewart on 16/1.

Environment secretary Michael Gove, whose campaign has been hit by revelations he took cocaine before entering politics, is on 20/1.

Home secretary Sajid Javid is on 25/1 and former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab is on 33/1.

Health secretary Matt Hancock and former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey are longshots on 100/1 and former chief whip Mark Harper brings up the rear on 200/1.