Britain will have its second woman prime minister in history

The initial round of the Conservative leadership election has just been concluded. There were five candidates and the aim is to narrow it down to two because according to party rules, the choice has to be between two candidates.

Theresa May came out top with 165 votes, with Andrea Leadsom (66 votes) as the runner-up. Michael Gove (48 votes – he got his answer there and it was all for nothing), Stephen Crabb and Liam Fox (16 votes) are now effectively out of the running. Liam Fox has been eliminated.

Andrea Leadsom may well drop out too at this stage, because May has such a clear, unequivocal lead. Either way, the next prime minister is going to be a woman, and there seems little doubt left that it’s going to be Theresa May.

Michael Gove has left his integrity in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor, all for nothing. And it’s particularly interesting that the clear winner is the one candidate of two – the other is Stephen Crabb – who backed the Remain campaign.

Theresa May has won the first round of the Tory leadership elections