LONDON, June 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Boris Johnson lead after the first ballots were counted in the Conservative Party leadership election.
Johnson got 114 votes, a massive 71 votes ahead of second place Jeremy Hunt.
All of the Tories 313 MPs cast a vote. Esther McVey, Mark Harper and Andrea Leadsom were all eliminated.
Johnson had at least one member of the Cabinet publicly support him.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the former foreign secretary was an “integral part” of the Leave campaign and was the “right man to take us through the Brexit process to sort this out”.
He added: “He is also somebody who is internationalist, he is somebody who believes we should leave as good friends and neighbours.
As you heard at the launch yesterday, he is somebody who says ‘I want to leave with a deal, I want to leave on good terms’, that’s the right thing.
Outgoing leader Theresa May refused to say which of the 10 she had voted for. “That’s none of your business,” she told reporters after casting her vote in the secret ballot.
Andrea Leadsom was second to Theresa May in the last leadership vote in 2016. Michael Gove also contested that contest, finishing third out of five.
Reacting to the vote, Boris Johnson tweeted: “Thank you to my friends and colleagues in the Conservative & Unionist Party for your support. I am delighted to win the first ballot, but we have a long way to go.”
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