LONDON -- Contenders for leadership in Britain's Conservative Party jostled for attention Monday as the race narrowed into a contest to seize the mantle of challenger to front-runner Boris Johnson.

With Johnson solidly ahead after winning 114 of the 313 votes in first-round voting among party lawmakers, challengers sought to position themselves as the best alternative to the former foreign secretary. The goal is to win the coveted second slot on the postal ballot being sent to Conservative Party members nationwide -- a vote that will decide the next leader and the next prime minister.

"This is a two-horse race and we know one of the horses: Boris," said International Development Secretary Rory Stewart at a campaign event for political journalists. "There is literally only one question you have to answer -- who is likely to beat Boris?"

The contest will choose a replacement for Prime Minister Theresa May, who stepped down as party leader earlier this month after failing to secure Parliament's approval for her European Union divorce deal.

The House of Commons' 313 Conservative Party lawmakers will winnow the field of contenders in a series of leadership votes this week, with the final two names put to a postal vote of about 160,000 Conservative members nationwide. The winner is set to be announced in July.

A leading figure in the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, Johnson wants Britain to withdraw from the EU on Oct. 31, with or without a withdrawal agreement that some economists warn is needed to prevent chaos. He also threatened to withhold a 39 billion pound ($50 billion) divorce payment if the EU digs in its heels.

Unlike his more polished challengers, Johnson's appeal comes in part from his rumpled suits, unruly hair and colorful -- if sometimes offensive -- turns of phrase. He has called Papua New Guineans cannibals and once compared Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to the sturdy red "letter boxes" on Britain's streets.

Those statements also have led some to question whether he could be trusted in high office. Hoping to avoid a campaign de-railing gaffe, his team is rationing his appearances. He evaded media scrutiny for a second day Monday, skipping a series of campaign events. A day earlier, he also missed Channel 4's television debate between the candidates, prompting the broadcaster to place an empty lectern on the debate stage.

With more to lose than gain, Johnson's absence is frustrating his opponents -- all of whom want a chance to take him on directly. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested in a tweet that Johnson should step forward and face the others in public forums.

"Hopefully someone will summon up some Churchillian courage and come along too. .intothelionsden," Hunt said.

Fellow contender Michael Gove compared Boris's refusal to attend Sunday's debate or Monday's media events as "Hamlet without the prince."

"And of course we all remember that at the end of 'Hamlet,' he isn't the king. . It ain't over till it's over," he said.

Meanwhile, Johnson's bid to become Britain's next prime minister was bolstered by fresh support when Health Secretary Matt Hancock backed his candidacy. Hancock argued his former rival's "unique personality" would help rally support around a deal to leave the EU.

"Having considered all the options, I'm backing Boris Johnson as the best candidate to unite the Conservative Party, so we can deliver Brexit and then unite the country behind an open, ambitious, forward-looking agenda, delivered with the energy that gets stuff done," Hancock wrote in op-ed in The Times of London. </s> LONDON (AP) — Contenders for leadership in Britain’s Conservative Party jostled for attention Monday as the race narrowed into a contest to seize the mantle of challenger to front-runner Boris Johnson.

With Johnson solidly ahead after winning 114 of the 313 votes in first-round voting among party lawmakers, challengers sought to position themselves as the best alternative to the former foreign secretary. The goal is to win the coveted second slot on the postal ballot being sent to Conservative Party members nationwide — a vote that will decide the next leader and the next prime minister.

“This is a two-horse race and we know one of the horses: Boris,” said International Development Secretary Rory Stewart at a campaign event for political journalists. “There is literally only one question you have to answer — who is likely to beat Boris?”

The contest will choose a replacement for Prime Minister Theresa May, who stepped down as party leader earlier this month after failing to secure Parliament’s approval for her European Union divorce deal.

The House of Commons’ 313 Conservative Party lawmakers will winnow the field of contenders in a series of leadership votes this week, with the final two names put to a postal vote of about 160,000 Conservative members nationwide. The winner is set to be announced in July.

A leading figure in the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, Johnson wants Britain to withdraw from the EU on Oct. 31, with or without a withdrawal agreement that some economists warn is needed to prevent chaos. He also threatened to withhold a 39 billion pound ($50 billion) divorce payment if the EU digs in its heels.

Unlike his more polished challengers, Johnson’s appeal comes in part from his rumpled suits, unruly hair and colorful — if sometimes offensive — turns of phrase. He has called Papua New Guineans cannibals and once compared Muslim women who wear face-covering veils to the sturdy red “letter boxes” on Britain’s streets.

Those statements also have led some to question whether he could be trusted in high office. Hoping to avoid a campaign de-railing gaffe, his team is rationing his appearances. He evaded media scrutiny for a second day Monday, skipping a series of campaign events. A day earlier, he also missed Channel 4’s television debate between the candidates, prompting the broadcaster to place an empty lectern on the debate stage.

With more to lose than gain, Johnson’s absence is frustrating his opponents — all of whom want a chance to take him on directly. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested in a tweet that Johnson should step forward and face the others in public forums.

“Hopefully someone will summon up some Churchillian courage and come along too. #intothelionsden,” Hunt said.

Fellow contender Michael Gove compared Boris’s refusal to attend Sunday’s debate or Monday’s media events as “Hamlet without the prince.”

“And of course we all remember that at the end of ‘Hamlet,’ he isn’t the king. . It ain’t over till it’s over,” he said.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s bid to become Britain’s next prime minister was bolstered by fresh support when Health Secretary Matt Hancock backed his candidacy. Hancock argued his former rival’s “unique personality” would help rally support around a deal to leave the EU.

“Having considered all the options, I’m backing Boris Johnson as the best candidate to unite the Conservative Party, so we can deliver Brexit and then unite the country behind an open, ambitious, forward-looking agenda, delivered with the energy that gets stuff done,” Hancock wrote in op-ed in The Times of London.

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and the Conservative Party leadership race at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit </s> 'If you want the top job you've got to turn up for the interview': Hunt challenges Johnson to more TV debates

'If you want the top job you've got to turn up for the interview': Hunt challenges Johnson to more TV debates

Jeremy Hunt has challenged rival Tory leadership contender Boris Johnson to debate him on TV

Jeremy Hunt has challenged Boris Johnson to get involved in more televised debates - and sooner, saying "if you want the top job you've got to turn up for the interview".

The Tory leadership hopeful said it would make a "mockery" of the contest if the two contenders did not appear in a debate before voting begins next month.

Some 160,000 Conservative Party members will be able to vote via postal ballot before the new prime minister is announced in late July.

In a letter addressed to Mr Johnson, the current foreign secretary said he was "concerned" Mr Johnson had only committed to one TV debate.

He continued it would do the country a "disservice" if the leadership hopefuls "hid away" until voting was over.

"So my challenge to you is this: let's have live televised debates right at the start of this contest, and specifically at least two in the next two weeks before members receive their ballot papers.

"I will debate you anytime anywhere on live TV."

The final two candidates are expected to take part in a head-to-head ITV debate on 9 July hosted by Julie Etchingham.

Sky News also is hosting a debate shortly, moderated by Kay Burley, which Mr Hunt has agreed to take part in - but which Mr Johnson has not yet agreed to.

"If the party want him to go out to battle against Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn, 27 EU countries, then surely it's not such a big deal to go out against a friendly foreign secretary," Mr Hunt said.

He continued: "This is the biggest job in the country, the most important position in the land.

"If you want the top job you've got to turn up for the interview."

Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson will be taking part in 16 hustings events in every region across the UK in a bid to win over Tory members.

The first will be held in Birmingham today and will see the candidates taking questions from members and putting forward their cases.

However Mr Hunt argued that hustings do not provide the same "rigorous scrutiny" as appearing on news programmes.

In an earlier debate on Channel 4, an empty podium was reserved for Mr Johnson after the former foreign secretary chose not to attend.

Mr Johnson was present for a later debate hosted by the BBC which was fielded by Emily Maitlis.

A recent survey by the ConservativeHome website, polling Tory party members, found Mr Johnson remained the clear frontrunner.

He was the preferred next leader by 62% of those asked, compared to 11% for Mr Gove.

In a head-to-head choice between the pair, Mr Johnson beat Mr Hunt by 72% to 26%.

Earlier on Friday, police were called out to the home of Mr Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds after neighbours reportedly heard a loud altercation involving screaming. </s> Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will battle to become the next Prime Minister after Michael Gove was eliminated from the Tory leadership contest.

In the final round of voting by MPs Mr Gove was narrowly pipped to the post by Mr Hunt, who won two votes more than his rival and his place on the final ballot with Mr Johnson.

The race now enters its final stage before the party selects who will be its next leader and the country’s next Prime Minister.

What has happened so far?

The race to select the next Prime Minister officially launched on 10 June, after Theresa May stood down as Conservative party leader the week earlier.

Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Matt Hancock, Esther McVey, Sajid Javid, Rory Stewart and Mark Harper all accrued enough supporters to be able to enter the race.

Mrs Leadsom, Ms McVey and Mr Harper were eliminated in the first ballot after failing to win enough support to meet the threshold required.

And Matt Hancock, who came sixth in the first vote, announced he was standing down and backing Mr Johnson.

In the second ballot, Mr Raab became the next candidate to be eliminated and he also threw his weight behind Mr Johnson.

On Wednesday, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart scored the lowest number of votes in the third ballot and was also knocked out the race.

And Sajid Javid, Home Secretary, became the seventh candidate to exit the contest after winning the fewest votes in the Thursday lunchtime ballot.

What happens now?

Now that there are only two contenders remaining, Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) will begin the membership hustings process for party members to decide between the final two candidates.

Work will be under way immediately and the party will aim for the hustings to take place in all 12 regions of the UK over the course of the next four weeks.

During this time there are more live TV debates planned on BBC and Sky.

The BBC announced plans to hold a Question Time special with Fiona Bruce as well as a one-to-one interview with the final candidates and presenter Andrew Neil.

Sky News also announced plans for a head-to-head leadership debate between the final two in front of an audience of Conservative Party members.

When will we know who is Prime Minister?

During the month of hustings, in which the candidates will seek to persuade party members to back them, the choice will be put to a postal ballot.

This will mean that the entire party membership of 160,000 people will have a vote to decide which candidate they prefer.

The results will be counted and a new leader will be announced during the week beginning 22 July.

After this point, the victor will visit the Queen, who will ask them to form a Government and will formally replace Mrs May as Prime Minister. </s> British Conservative party leadership contender Boris Johnson gets in a car as he leaves his home in south London, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Contenders for leadership in Britain’s ruling Conservative Party to become the next Prime Minister, jostled for attention Monday as the race narrowed into a contest to seize the mantle of challenger to front-runner Boris Johnson. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on the voting to elect Britain’s next prime minister (all times local):

The five men competing to be Britain’s next prime minister are taking part in a televised debate where they traded barbs about who will get Britain out of the European Union fastest.

Front-runner Boris Johnson said during the Tuesday night debate that if Brexit doesn’t happen on the scheduled date of Oct. 31 there would be a “catastrophic loss of confidence in politics.”

Both Johnson and fellow contender Sajid Javid said they would opt to leave the EU without an agreement if Parliament hadn’t ratified a divorce deal by then.

The debate came just hours after Conservative Party lawmakers voted for a second time to winnow to field of candidates competing to replace Theresa May as party leader and British prime minister.

Michael Gove said a no-deal Brexit would cause “economic turbulence” but he wouldn’t rule it out. Jeremy Hunt said “it should only be a very, very last resort.”

Gove and Hunt both said they’d delay Brexit for a short time if needed to secure a deal.

The fifth contender, Rory Stewart, said “there would never be no-deal” if he was prime minister because it would be too damaging to the economy.

Boris Johnson has increased his lead in the race to become Britain’s next prime minister, as one of his rivals was eliminated from the contest.

Five contenders in all were still in the running after a second-round ballot of Conservative lawmakers on Tuesday.

Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab failed to reach the threshold of 33 votes needed to go on to the next round.

Tory lawmakers will vote again Wednesday and, if needed, on Thursday. The final two contenders will go to a by-mail ballot of all 160,000 Conservative Party members nationwide.

The winner will replace Theresa May as party leader and prime minister.

Conservative lawmakers in Britain are voting on who should become the party’s next leader and Britain’s next prime minister.

Six contenders, including front-runner Boris Johnson, remained before the vote on Tuesday. At least one will be eliminated in that vote.

All those aiming to replace Prime Minister Theresa May vow they will succeed where May failed and lead Britain out of the European Union, though they differ about how they plan to break the country’s Brexit deadlock.

Johnson, a former foreign secretary, gained backing from 114 of the 313 Tory legislators in the first round of voting.

In Tuesday’s vote, the lowest-placed contender will drop out, along with any who fail to get at least 33 votes.Further rounds of voting are set for Wednesday and Thursday if needed. The final two contenders will go to a postal ballot of about 160,000 Conservative Party members nationwide.

The winner, due to be announced in late July, will become party leader and prime minister.

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and the Conservative Party leadership race at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit </s> LONDON — Candidates for Britain’s next prime minister accused Boris Johnson, the presumptive front-runner, of trying to avoid scrutiny after he refused to take part in a televised debate alongside his five rivals Sunday.

“Where is Boris?” Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt asked as he and four other contenders for Conservative Party leader faced questions about how exactly they would fulfill a key promise: to lead Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Broadcaster Channel 4 left an empty lectern on the debate stage for Johnson as the participating candidates argued that they were more trustworthy than Johnson.

“I believe I’m the candidate most trusted to get us out [of the EU] by the end of October,” Dominic Raab, a former Brexit secretary, argued.

Hunt said the Conservatives must choose “a prime minister that families up and down the country trust with their future.”

Johnson, a former London mayor and foreign secretary, has a commanding lead after last week’s first round of voting by Tory lawmakers in the contest to replace Theresa May. who stepped down as party leader earlier this month.

Johnson is admired by many Conservatives for his ability to energize voters. But others mistrust him for his record of misleading and false statements, noting that he campaigned for Brexit in 2016 on the inaccurate claim that Britain sends about $444 million a week to the EU. In 2017, as foreign secretary, he said incorrectly that a British-Iranian woman imprisoned in Iran was a journalist, damaging attempts to secure her release.

The 313 Tory lawmakers in the House of Commons are set to narrow the field of candidates in a series of votes this week, with the final two names put to a postal vote of about 160,000 Conservative members nationwide.

The winner, who will become party leader and prime minister, is due to be announced in late July. But some in the party say the membership vote could be skipped if Johnson is so far ahead that he looks unlikely to be beaten.

Others argue that would be a mistake. </s> The votes are in and the new Tory leader is being announced at 11.40am today.

Boris Johnson is expected to win the contest after a ballot of around 160,000 Conservative Party members across the UK.

The winner gives a short acceptance speech laying out their ambitions for the role.

They then become Prime Minister tomorrow, after Theresa May goes to Buckingham Palace to hand in her resignation following PMQs .

The announcement is being held at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in Westminster - opposite the Houses of Parliament.

Watch live on the stream above or you can visit our full live blog here. </s> British Conservative party leadership and prime minister contender Boris Johnson leaves his home in south London, Thursday June 20, 2019. The race to become Britain’s next prime minister is down to the final four on Wednesday, as Boris Johnson stretched his lead among Conservative lawmakers and upstart Rory Stewart was eliminated from the contest. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on choosing Britain’s next prime minister (all times local):

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will compete to become Britain’s next prime minister in a runoff vote by members of the governing Conservative Party.

Johnson, a former U.K. foreign secretary, and Hunt, who holds that office now, are the last candidates standing after a series of elimination votes by Conservative lawmakers. Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Michael Gove were culled from the race on Thursday.

Johnson got 160 of the votes cast by 313 Tory lawmakers in the final round, and is strong favorite to win the ballot of some 160,000 party members.

Hunt, who got 77 votes, will seek to halt Johnson’s momentum by picking away at Johnson’s plans for Brexit as the two speak to meetings of party members across the country.

The winner is due to be announced in late July, and will replace Theresa May as party leader and prime minister.

The contest to become Britain’s next prime minister is down to its final three candidates, with Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt chasing front-runner Boris Johnson for a spot in a deciding runoff.

Johnson gained 157 of 313 votes cast by Conservative lawmakers Thursday in their fourth round of voting. Gove received 61, leapfrogging Hunt, who has been in second place until now but got 59.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid came fourth with 34 votes and drops out.

A second vote Thursday will select the final two contenders, who will go to a by-mail ballot of all 160,000 Conservative Party members nationwide.

The winner is due to be announced in late July, and will replace Theresa May as party leader and prime minister.

Britain’s governing Conservatives were set to pick two candidates who will square off to become the country’s next prime minister.

Tory lawmakers will vote to eliminate two contenders from a four-strong field that includes ex-foreign minister and London mayor Boris Johnson, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

Johnson has a commanding lead after three rounds of voting that cut the list from an initial 10 contenders. The three others are battling to join him in a runoff to be decided by 160,000 Conservative Party members nationwide.

All the candidates are vowing to lead Britain out of the European Union, a challenge that defeated outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May. She quit as Conservative leader earlier this month after failing to win Parliament’s backing for her Brexit deal.

The winner of the contest, due to be announced the week of July 22, will become Conservative leader and prime minister.

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and the Conservative Party leadership race at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit </s> Conservative Members of Parliament filled out a fifth ballot late Thursday as Johnson, the frontrunner, gained 160 votes, while Hunt garnered 77 and Gove a close 75.

Hunt called himself "the underdog" on social media, but has promised to deliver Brexit.

Although British pundits asserted that with Johnson’s wide lead in each round of balloting he would do a deal with the second place winner to become prime minister, it was announced that the 160,000 Conservative members will vote for who fills the next top job.

British television station ITV announced that Johnson and Hunt would go head-to-head in a televised debate scheduled for 9 July. Johnson said on social media he was looking forward to "a debate of ideas".

The voter's choice will decide who takes over from caretaker Prime Minister Theresa May in late July.
The first televised debate between Conservative Party candidates for Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom takes place in London. Frontrunnner Boris Johnson refuses to attend.