Boris Johnson tops first vote in UK Conservative party election; winner will be prime minister too

With Theresa May stepping down as Conservative Party leader, her positionand with it the job of Prime Ministerwill go to one of many candidates standing to replace her. In the first round of voting today, presumptive favorite Boris Johnson won the most votes and three others were knocked out. Seven proceed to the second vote next week.

Mark Harper, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey - have been knocked out, in the secret ballot held in the House of Commons. Mr Johnson received 114 votes, Jeremy Hunt was second with 43, and Michael Gove third with 37 votes.

The BBC graphic above shows how things shook out. Gove was most hurt by last week's expos on the candidates' youthful drug habits, die to the extent of his hypocrisy: as education secretary, he imposed a lifetime ban for teachers caught using drugs. Leadsom seems to have underperformed compared to opinion polling of party rank and file. Boris is not as inevitable as the first round suggests, as he received only 36% of the total, another candidate might surge as others drop out, and his propensity for gaffes and bigoted remarks offers latitude for a "June surprise". But he is surely the runawaway favorite to lead his partyand Britaininto Brexit. Read the rest