11 Jun 2019

UK Conservatives race to replace Theresa May

From Morning Report, 7:45 am on 11 June 2019

The UK leadership race is underway, with ten candidates vying to replace Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.

Each of the candidates secured the backing of eight MPs in order to go through to the first ballot.

Michael Gove is one of the first to set out his stall. He has faced calls to drop out of the race after he admitted using cocaine several times more than 20 years ago. He's says he's up for the job at Number 10.

The Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is promising tough negotiation, not empty rhetoric. And the former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is arguing he is "a committed Brexiteer" who can be trusted to secure the UK's departure from the EU.

Theresa May stepped down as the party leader on Saturday, and will remain Prime Minister until her replacement is announced on July 22.

Our correspondent in London is Natalie Powell.