Johnson and Hunt to compete for PM job

Johnson and Hunt to compete for PM job

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are the final two in the race to replace Prime Minister Theresa May.

Johnson has dominated the race since May announced a month ago that she would step down after failing to get her Brexit deal ratified by parliament.

In a fifth and final ballot of Conservative lawmakers, which eliminated Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Johnson was again way out in front: he won 160 out of 313 votes against Hunt's 77. One ballot paper was rejected.

Johnson, 55, who served as London mayor for eight years, has cast himself as the only candidate who can deliver Brexit on Oct. 31 while fighting off the electoral threats of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party and Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party.

Johnson has increased his share of the vote of Conservative lawmakers at each of the four ballots so far: 114 out of 313 votes in the first ballot on June 13, 126 on June 18, 143 on Wednesday, and 157 and 160 on Thursday.

Gove was third with 75. Sajid Javid was knocked out in the fourth round earlier on Thursday.

Published: by Radio NewsHub
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