Katy Balls Katy Balls

Are some Tory candidates about to be ruled out?

The 1922 Committee will decide this evening

1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady (Getty)

The Tory leadership contest is a very crowded place – with Liz Truss overnight becoming the tenth candidate to declare (with Rehman Chishti becoming the eleventh a few minutes later). But it could be significantly slimmed down by this evening.

Monday marks the day of the elections for the 1922 executive made up of Tory backbenchers. Once the new executive is in place this afternoon, they will meet to immediately decide the rules for the coming contest. To avoid the contest dragging on, the plan is to get the current field narrowed down to two by the summer recess on 21 July. The committee will discuss raising the threshold of MP nominations required to enter in the first place.

Numbers doing the rounds range from a minimum of 20 MP backers to securing 10 per cent of the party, so 36 MPs. The candidate with the most nominations so far is Rishi Sunak on 34. If the threshold is raised as expected, get ready for complaints from the lesser-known names that it disadvantages them. It would also have repercussions for the right of the party. As things stand, that vote is split between Liz Truss, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch (plus Priti Patel could declare today). Such a move could focus minds.

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