bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Maverick candidate Rory Stewart was knocked out of the race to become Britain’s next prime minister on Wednesday, as Boris Johnson extended his lead over the three other remaining contenders.
International Development Secretary Stewart actually lost votes to come in last in the third ballot of Conservative MPs.
Former foreign minister Johnson, on his 55th birthday, extended his commanding lead with the support of 143 out of 313 members of Britain’s governing party.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt came second with 54, Environment Secretary Michael Gove followed with 51 and Interior Minister Sajid Javid won 38.
The winner will take over from Theresa May as prime minister next month.

His biggest task is to end the political deadlock over Britain’s exit from the European Union, currently scheduled for October 31.
Stewart won 27 votes, 10 fewer than he received in Tuesday’s second ballot, ending a remarkable run by an unorthodox politician few expected to get this far.
Two further ballots are scheduled for Thursday to choose a final pair that will then be put to 160,000 grass roots party members.
“Thank you once again to friends and colleagues for your support in the third ballot – especially on my birthday!” tweeted Johnson after Wednesday’s result. “We’ve come a long way but we have much further to go.”

Thank you once again to friends and colleagues for your support in the third ballot - especially on my birthday! We’ve come a long way but we have much further to go.
Join the #BackBoris team https://t.co/tGRXu94CmT pic.twitter.com/p5ImzGTKDf
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 19, 2019

Initially a rank outsider, Stewart’s social media-driven campaign had garnered momentum as the only candidate to rule out leaving the EU without a divorce deal with Brussels.
But following a lacklustre performance in a televised debate on Tuesday night, Stewart shed support.
He said he was bewildered at the loss of votes, but told reporters: “I believe the arguments I made will be vindicated.”
Man who ‘milkshaked’ Brexit Party’s Farage gets community service
“Nobody has a plan for how they are going to get Brexit through parliament. Nobody has a plan on how they’re going to renegotiate with the EU. Nobody can define what a no-deal Brexit is,” he said.
“These are the fundamental truths that will haunt us for the next six months.”
Stewart wanted to try again to get the divorce deal May struck with Brussels through parliament, even though MPs have rejected it three times.

I am so moved & inspired by the support I have received over the last few weeks - it has given me a new faith in politics, a new belief in our country. I didn’t get enough MPs to believe today - but they will I remain deeply committed to you and to this country. #RoryWalksOn
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) June 19, 2019

The other candidates say they will threaten to leave with “no deal” in a bid to change the text, which the European Union has so far said will not be reopened.
Johnson and Javid insist Britain must leave on the twice-delayed October 31 exit date, while Hunt and Gove are prepared to delay if a divorce deal with Brussels seems close.
Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who had warned he was willing to suspend parliament if it blocked his “no deal”, was eliminated in Tuesday’s second ballot and threw his weight behind Johnson.
Hunt has come second in every ballot so far and said he was “best placed to take on Boris”.
Boris Johnson a no-show as UK PM rivals clash over Brexit
“If I make it to the final I will put my heart and soul into giving him the contest of his life: in politics today the unexpected often happens,” he tweeted.
“The stakes too high to allow anyone to sail through untested.”
Home Secretary Javid tweeted: “Delighted to make it through to the final day of MP voting. Grateful for the support of many excellent colleagues. We can do this!”

Delighted to make it through to the final day of MP voting. Grateful for the support of many excellent colleagues. We can do this! #TeamSaj #BrexitAndBeyond
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) June 19, 2019

May officially stepped down as Conservative party leader this month over her failure to deliver Brexit on time, although she remains prime minister until her successor is chosen.
Thursday’s fourth ballot takes place between 10am and 12pm, with the result declared an hour later.
If no candidates have voluntarily withdrawn and three remain, MPs are then expected to vote again between 3.30pm and 5.30pm.


Starmer urges Europe to deepen interdependence amid Trump threats

Britain’s surging Reform UK party draws big-name Tory defector

UK rejoins Erasmus student exchange programme in post-Brexit reset under PM Keir Starmer

US-UK deal slashes tariffs on medicines, boosting NHS spending

Brexit

Boris Johnson gets a birthday boost in race to be British prime minister as Rory Stewart is knocked out

Boris Johnson, former UK foreign secretary and UK Conservative party leadership candidate, leaves his home in London. Photo: Bloomberg

19 June 2019, England, London: Conservative party leadership contender Rory Stewart pictured outside Millbank television studios. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/dpa

Boris Johnson says he won’t pay Britain’s Brexit bill if he becomes prime minister – unless EU agrees to better terms

Boris Johnson speaks at a meeting at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham in October. Photo: Reuters

FILE - In this Tuesday March 28, 2017 file photo Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, in 10 Downing Street, London, invoking Article 50 of the bloc's key treaty, the formal start of exit negotiations. Theresa May says she'll quit as UK Conservative leader on June 7, sparking contest for Britain's next prime minister. (Christopher Furlong/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 file photo, Britain's Environment Secretary Michael Gove arrives at Downing Street. London. British Environment Secretary Michael Gove has on Friday, June 7 admitted using cocaine on “several occasions” two decades ago, as Conservative Party leadership hopefuls rush to admit past sins and avoid any surprises during what is expected to be a heated contest. Gove is the latest candidate in the race to replace Prime Minister Theresa May to acknowledge using banned substances. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

epa07632518 Leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage after delivering a letter to 10 Downing Street, central London, Britain, 07 June 2019. Reports state that the letter asks the British Prime Minister Theresa May and her successor to include members of the Brexit party in future negotiations with European Union. The Brexit Party narrowly lost the Peterborough by election to Labour the previous eveening by 683 votes.. EPA-EFE/WILL OLIVER

Brexit Britain: how the Tories will pick PM Theresa May’s successor

Larry, the Downing Street cat, sits outside the front door of 10 Downing Street, London. Photo: Reuters

Conservative MP Boris Johnson leaves his residence in south London on May 28, 2019. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP)

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 28, 2019 Britain's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove goes on a morning jog in west London on March 28, 2019. - The race to become Britain's next premier heated up on May 26, 2019 as Environment Secretary Michael Gove joined an already crowded field of hopefuls with competing visions of how to finally pull their divided country out of the EU. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

‘Act of crass stupidity’: man who threw milkshake on Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage gets community service

Nigel Farage after being hit with a milkshake in Newcastle. Photo: AP

A man is detained by police after throwing a milkshake on Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage before a Brexit Party campaign event in Newcastle, Britain, May 20, 2019. REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Nigel Farage after being hit with a milkshake in Newcastle. Photo: Reuters

Where’s Boris? UK PM rivals clash over Brexit as front-runner Johnson skips TV debate

The 90-minute debate on Channel 4 featured the five remaining candidates and an empty podium for Boris Johnson, the gaffe-prone former foreign secretary and mayor of London. Photo: EPA

A poster is brandished during a public demonstration as Conservative party leadership contender Rory Stewart arrives at the television studios ahead of a scheduled live television debate for the Conservative Party leadership candidates, in London, Sunday June 16, 2019. Five out of the six candidates will appear in the first TV debate, with Boris Johnson declining to take part, although other candidates accuse him of trying to avoid scrutiny. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds leave his home, following the results of the European Parliament elections, in Thame, Britain May 27, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

News

World

Europe

Johnson, on his 55th birthday, extended his commanding lead with the support of 143 out of 313 members of Britain’s governing Conservative party


Johnson, on his 55th birthday, extended his commanding lead with the support of 143 out of 313 members of Britain’s governing Conservative party.


Theresa May

Britain

European Union

Trade

Boris Johnson gets a birthday boost in race to be British prime minister as Rory Stewart is knocked out

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Johnson, on his 55th birthday, extended his commanding lead with the support of 143 out of 313 members of Britain’s governing Conservative party

Johnson, on his 55th birthday, extended his commanding lead with the support of 143 out of 313 members of Britain’s governing Conservative party