Portsmouth MP confirms her Tory leadership bid
Penny Mordaunt says she wants to 'unite our country'
Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt has become the first candidate to throw her hat into the ring in the race to succeed Liz Truss as prime minister, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided Tory Party.
The Leader of the House - who finished third in the last leadership election - said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs.
"I've been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest," she said in a statement posted on social media.
"I'm running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister - to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE (general election)."
The announcement came after she held talks with Jeremy Hunt, in which she assured him he could stay on as Chancellor if she won.
Sources close to Ms Mordaunt said she had made clear that she would proceed with his budget plan to get the public finances back on track, due to be announced on October 31.