Matt Hancock drops out of Tory leadership race after trailing in first round of votes

Matt Hancock has dropped out of the Tory leadership race after trailing behind his rivals in the first round of votes.

The health secretary was forced to considered his future after coming sixth in Thursday’s ballot, when he secured the backing of only 20 MPs, compared to frontrunner Boris Johnson‘s 114 supporters.

Mr Johnson far outstripped his rivals in the first round, with nearly three times the number of supporters of his nearest competitor, the foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Announcing his decision, Mr Hancock said: “I’m hugely grateful for the warm and enthusiastic support I’ve received throughout this campaign, and am proud of the way we managed to set the agenda by promoting new ideas to make people’s lives better.

“I ran as the candidate of the future, but the party is understandably looking for a candidate for the unique circumstances we face right now. 

“I have therefore decided to withdraw from this contest, and I will look for the best way to advance the values we fought for, of free enterprise, and an open, aspirational, free society, underpinned by an optimistic belief in the value of each individual person.”

His departure narrows the field to six candidates, with Mr Johnson in the lead, followed by Mr Hunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart.

Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, ex-chief whip Mark Harper and Andrea Leadsom, the former Commons leader, were all eliminated in the first ballot after failing to win enough support.

Sam Gyimah, a former business minister, ruled himself out before the vote as his campaign was struggling to take off.

The remaining leadership hopefuls are now locked in a battle to win the support of some 50 MPs whose candidates have dropped out of the race.

Mr Hancock, 40, is the youngest candidate in the race, did not shed any light on who he would back in the race to succeed Theresa May, but promised to meet the other candidates to see who best represented his values.

He is said to have met Mr Javid on Thursday afternoon but the talks broke up without agreement.

Asked if he could support Mr Johnson, told the Evening Standard: “I’m not going to rule anything in or out at this stage.”

Speculation remains over whether anyone else will drop out of the race ahead of the second round of voting next week.

Candidates need to get 33 votes to stay in the race, which would currently see Mr Raab, Mr Javid and Mr Stewart crash out of the contest.

Mr Javid told Sky News: “I am confident I have got support, it’s growing support – and that is what is going to be necessary to keep going.”