Is Boris heading back to No10? Former PM takes early lead with Rishi Sunak in second as a quarter of Tory MPs declare their support in race to replace Liz Truss - candidates need at least 100 backers by MONDAY as battle '

After Ms Truss embarrassingly quit this afternoon after a mere 44 days in power, the party announced would-be successors would need to win the support of 100 MPs to get on the ballot. This means that realistically a maximum of three can make it into a vote, and that there could be a simple coronation of a winner if they get far more than that. The candidates could include former PM Boris Johnson, who has been backed by some MPs to run to return to power. But he remains on holiday in the Caribbean and faces a race-against-time. In a boost to his chances, the final two candidates will go head-to-head in a final online vote by party members next Friday. Mr Johnson remains popular with the Tory grassroots and could win such a vote. But it remains unclear whether he can reach the 100 threshold, or whether a figure from the Tory right could stand and risk splitting the vote.