Tory MPs cast final votes in bitter battle for Number 10

Rishi Sunak appears to be guaranteed a spot on the final ballot paper (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Tory MPs have cast their final votes in a bitter leadership contest that has seen Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt battle it out to face Rishi Sunak in a run-off to be the next British prime minister.

All that is left of the Westminster stage of the race to replace Boris Johnson is for Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, to read out the results before the final two face their next electorate: the Tory membership.