A HAMPSHIRE MP has crashed out of the race to succeed Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative party.

Attorney General Suella Braverman, MP for Fareham since 2015, was eliminated from the contest today after collecting just 27 votes in the second round of voting.

But the former chancellor, Southampton-born Rishi Sunak, is still in the running to replace Mr Johnson as prime minister.

Mr Sunak received 101 votes - 13 more than in the first round yesterday.

Trade minister Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North since 2010, also survived the second round. She collected 83 votes, 16 more than yesterday.

The other surviving candidates are Liz Truss, Kemi Badenoch, and Tom Tugendhat.

Mr Sunak, 42, was born at Southampton General Hospital in 1980. His father was a GP and his mother ran her own pharmacy in the city.

The former hedge fund manager attended Winchester College, one of the top private schools in the country, before studying PPE at Oxford University.

First elected to parliament in 2015 he has enjoyed a rapid rise to the upper tier of British politics, gaining nationwide recognition after being appointed chancellor in 2020. Earlier this month he resigned in protest at Mr Johnson's leadership.

Penny Mordaunt, 49, was a magician's assistant while in college before embarking on a career in public relations. In 2014 she appeared on the TV diving show Splash.

The next round of voting will take place on Monday. The eventual result will be announced on September 5.

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