today at 5pm: voting has just ended in the second ballot of the conservative leadership race, and in one hour's time, we will learn who is still in the running to be britain's next prime minister. counting is getting under way now to see which of the six candidates will make it though to the next round. we'll bring you the result live. those left in the contest will take part in live debate on the bbc tonight, likely to be the first big test for boris johnson, the frontrunner who's been accused of avoiding scrutiny. i'm in the houses apartments. the votes are being counted upstairs on the committee corridor, we'll be bringing you all the and results. very soon, the focus will be on the

grassroot members of the conservative party who ultimately decide who will be the leader and the next prime minister. i'm excel conservative club in the north west of england, where will be building up of england, where will be building up to the debate. we'll be bringing you the build—up to the announcement and full reaction in an extended bbc news at 5pm. the other main stories: two teenage neo—nazis who encouraged an attack on prince harry for marrying a mixed—race woman are jailed for terrorism offences. and heathrow airport unveils its expansion plans for a third runway, including re—routing a river and the m25. within the last few minutes, voting has closed in the second round of the ballot to be

leader of the conservative party and britain's next prime minister. the candidate who comes last in today's second round of voting will be eliminated, as will any of the six who fails to secure at least 33 votes. we'll get the result just after six o'clock and will bring that to you live. meanwhile, there's a bbc debate tonight where those candidates who manage to survive this latest secret ballot will face questions from viewers about their plans, and especially their plans for brexit. our chief political correspondent vicki young is in the central lobby of the houses of parliament. it's going to be fascinating to see who gets that magical 33 votes? them and talk and also, that 33 may not be enough. at least one person will be enough. at least one person will be eliminated, so you could get 33 and still finish last and have to drop outs. but that is the magic number they are drop outs. but that is the magic numberthey are aiming drop outs. but that is the magic number they are aiming for at the minimum. all the people from the

different camps, particularly those in rory stewart's camp, he is the wild card, no—one predicted he would get anywhere close in the second round. i've just seen one of his campaign team and they said, if eve ryo ne campaign team and they said, if everyone does what they said they would, he'll get through, but people are not necessarily trustworthy. dominic raab, sajid javid, all in the danger zone. then it is about momentum for the others. boris johnson, so far ahead on mp endorsements, no—one expects he won't go through to the final round. butjeremy hunt, michael gove, rumours about their supporters switching at the last minutes, that they haven't gained any momentum or had any new people coming forward. we will have to wait and see how it comes out, but it is possible more than one drops out later. we don't know how many of those chairs will need on set tonight for the live debates. and speaking of rumours,

rumours of candidates landing each other votes, all sorts of shenanigans, how would that work? there are all sorts of rumours every time there is a tory leadership contest because of the different rounds of voting. boris johnson's tea m rounds of voting. boris johnson's team might be saying, is a front runner, we don't need all these are votes in this round, why not lend them to someone we want to see in them to someone we want to see in the later fight? but that is a dangerous strategy, we will be able to tell compared to the public decorations whether anyone has switched, but we have heard of one tory mp who is switching from michael gove tojeremy tory mp who is switching from michael gove to jeremy hunt. tory mp who is switching from michael gove tojeremy hunt. a lot of people getting behind boris johnson, that is because he is seen as the frontrunner, vertical to see how anyone beats him because he is very popular among grassroots conservatives, so people are getting behind him because he is likely to win in five weeks' time anyway. and then they will possibly get a job. thank you very much. all day long, the candidates have been making their final pitches

and trying to shore up support from fellow mps. our political correspondent nick eardley reports. who will win the race to call this place home? no shortage of ministers with eyes on the top job. are you looking forward to the debate, sir? jeremy hunt wants it. so do michael gove and sajid javid. and rory stewart thinks he's got momentum in the race to succeed theresa may. are you feeling confident? i'm feeling good, he replies. but this is the man to beat. is it your race to lose, mrjohnson? silent again, leaving home this morning, but he's hoovering up support in parliament. i think he is the best place to get us out of the eu at the end of october, so his view and mine is very closely aligned there. and secondly, i do believe he is an election winner. i think he is someone who can bring the country and the party back together. mps have just finished voting in their second ballot in parliament. at least one leadership hopeful will drop out in the next hour. and it could be more. candidates will need the backing of 33 mps. borisjohnson is safe,

he's miles ahead. jeremy hunt and michael gove should have enough support. but it will be close for rory stewart, sajid javid, and dominic raab. mr stewart admits it will be tight, but he wants the opportunity to take on borisjohnson. half the people in his campaign have got the impression that he intends to leave on the 31st of october with no deal. and the other half of the people in this campaign seemed to have got the impression that he's going for the softest of soft brexits. and the reason that alarms me is that the only way we are going to have stability in our government, or our party, or our country, is if people trust us. sajid javid says his party needs to show it reflects modern britain. if we end up in a situation where the final two, three — four, even — are, people from similar backgrounds with... public school, oxbridge, all that.. yeah, they all, you know, it looked like a debate at the oxford union. ijust don't think that's healthy for the tory party. michael gove is adamant his bid

to be pm hasn't run out of steam. a shower and a change of clothes later... i'm feeling confident, i'm looking forward to a good debate with the other candidates later. i'm looking forward to making the case for a positive conservative vision to ensure that we get a good brexit deal, and that we reform this country for the better. are you being overtaken by rory stewart? he certainly hoped not. everyone who makes it through this afternoon's vote will be here tonight for the bbc debate. it will be the first debate that borisjohnson has taken part in in public. and inevitably, the other candidates will want to put pressure on the frontrunner — over his brexit plans, over his policies, over what he wants to do in number 10. tonight, voters across the uk will be let in on the debate. policies will be tested, minds could chang — even in a race where the result sometimes feels like a foregone conclusion. those who do get through today's vote will take part in a live bbc debate in just under three hours' time.

newsnight presenter emily maitlis will be hosting that debate — called our next prime minister — and shejoins be now from the studio. just talk us through the format of the debate? you get to the first sneak preview. we're set up five chairs, but as vicki singh earlier, we may just need chairs, but as vicki singh earlier, we mayjust need as little as three. we just we mayjust need as little as three. wejust don't we mayjust need as little as three. we just don't know at this point. they've picked the order in which they said, wejust they've picked the order in which they said, we just don't know who they said, we just don't know who they are gets. we have a screen of all the bbc studios, our nations and regions, so we all the bbc studios, our nations and regions, so we can all the bbc studios, our nations and regions, so we can take questions from members of the public, instead of having to come into us, can go to their local studio, ask a question from norwich or edinburgh or belfast and put the question directly to the candidates. that's instead of a studio audience, but we hope to have that strong connection so people

asking questions can xo see the candidates answer them before their eyes. i suppose it's fair to say that all eyes will be on boris johnson, because it is the first time he has subjected himself to one of these debates, he said he wanted to avoid a blue on blue cacophony, so to avoid a blue on blue cacophony, soi to avoid a blue on blue cacophony, so i guess it's yourjob to stop that? that has been the strangest thing to prepare for, because, as you said, we won't know for another hour who will be sitting here, therefore the question is can be defined in terms of who answers what, because we simply don't know the names. we suspect borisjohnson will be sitting about there. in less that order of names changes. and he will have to face questions, presumably not just from will have to face questions, presumably notjust from members of the public, but from many on his own side in his own party, and myjob is to get a little bit of clarification, a little bit of pressure to a nswer clarification, a little bit of pressure to answer the questions that are coming their way, and to break up any fights if they start! but we're hoping for the best at

this moment is. good luck to you, and not just brexit, this moment is. good luck to you, and notjust brexit, of course, the questions will be on a range of issues. we want to start were brexit, that will inevitably take up the lion's share, but then we broaden out from the questions that people are sent again, how many other pressing worries there are on all sorts of domestic and to different issues that we haven't really had much airtime for because brexit has soaked up all the oxygen. but we hope to get round to a few more other pressing issues as well and reflect what people have been sharing with us and their concerns. good luck, it will be a gripping watch. let's return to the leadership contest itself, and counting is well under way ahead of the announcement just after six o'clock this evening. our chief political correspondent, vicki young is in the central lobby of the houses of parliament.

a lot of uncertainty here, in particular about the candidates who finish lower down in the pecking order in the first round. one person who is pretty clear who is going to get through its borisjohnson, he has over 100 endorsements from mps, he has had more sense, he is picking up he has had more sense, he is picking up support from a right range of people with different opinions, particularly about brexit. some people think that could cause problems further down the line, we will speak to ian duncan smith, who was sporting borisjohnson. there are people suggesting that boris johnson is saying different things to different people about its brexit policy, what is your understanding of what it is he is going to pursue? i don't think he is. sometimes there are ways he explains his policy makes people say, it was different, but boris has made his position clear that we leave on the 31st of 0ctober whatever. regardless of the arguments and circumstances. however, he has said clearly he would like to have an arrangement because we want to go for a free

trade deal and have a smooth relationship after the 31st, and thatis relationship after the 31st, and that is only doable if the airbag wa nts to that is only doable if the airbag wants to do it. those are the basic principles. we leave for the 31st, come what may. but says he does want a deal and that is likely to be very similarto a deal and that is likely to be very similar to the one theresa may pursuit? there is no time to pursue a deal like that, there is no time. he wants to take some of those elements are that we can do straightaway, arbitrarily, like foreign nationals, we can grant them their rights, all that can be done. know you want to have an arrangement that allows us to leave on the 31st but with an arrangement to go forward to a free trade deal and in the immediate process, you want to do article 2a, both agreeing that you will not change your tariffs... that is really not what a lot of people supporting borisjohnson believe he has told them. people supporting borisjohnson believe he has told themlj people supporting borisjohnson believe he has told them. i don't think so. everyone i speak to her

supported him are all clear that boris‘ position is that we leave on the 31st of october whatever, but we do want to have an arrangement with them and we will put that to them... but not a deal, not ideal as such? no negotiations, that is dead. he is talking about an arrangement that allows us to have a smooth transitional period, but outside of the eu. white committee not to define the borisjohnson is very the frontrunner, do you think that is because he hasn't been tested, not turned up to a previous debate or hustings, you think he has put himself under enough scrutiny?” would say to people who think they are going up to the media all the time are fighting the wrong election. this is a peculiar election, the only election anywhere where you get to talk to every single elect or. so he's got to do that, and that has been going on for the last 2.5 weeks. politicians are

pretty brutal beings when they want to tear people down, he has faced some brutal question, far more brutal than he would get from the media. what he has said is, when the moment comes, and get closer to that process , moment comes, and get closer to that process, logically, that is when you start talking to the outside world is more, that is when the media sta rts is more, that is when the media starts to become important. tonight isa starts to become important. tonight is a good example, once it comes down to three or four people, now it makes it a more manageable tv debates, so he is doing the bbc debate, and then we move on after that. such as changes as the competition goes. you have been around here quite some time, it is striking that there are people here, tory mps, who a year ago don't have a good word to say about boris johnson, in fact there were so rude, ican johnson, in fact there were so rude, i can broadcast what they said, now they are backing him. with xp initial? i think that's the nature of politics! people need to understand some things, one, is this

person going to deliver on his prime concerns, that we have to leave, because if not, the brexit party kills us and the labour party. secondly, we need to leave on the 3ist secondly, we need to leave on the 31st of october, and does boris take us 31st of october, and does boris take us through that and beyond that, what is his reach? what we see from a lot of polling are set boris johnson energises the electorate.“ ita johnson energises the electorate.“ it a one nation conservative?” think we all are. to one thing that gets in the way of this debate is europe. wejust gets in the way of this debate is europe. we just have to get out, do what the public voted for, and then we can engage in all these other debates about schooling, how much money should be in it, policing, how do we get on top of street gangs and that these are the normal debates we should be having but we can't, and won't be able to unless we leave on the 31st, whatever the situation is. that is what people want to know, it will boris take us out and will he then energised the electorate to believe that this is the party that

should govern again at the next election. there is of the two key features and those are what mps are making their minds up about at the moment. may have been swearing about him a lot earlier on, but we have to say, who will lead us to victory? do you think it it is important there isa you think it it is important there is a contest amongst the conservative grassroots, or do but if you're so far ahead there is no point in holding it?” if you're so far ahead there is no point in holding it? i was very keen a lwa ys point in holding it? i was very keen always for this to be widened, i was the first to go out in these elections, it gives them a chance to talk to the wider public beyond those who have a vote, because he will be in hustings, on television, he will be interviewed in cumbria and bristol — all the sort of things will happen to. he will get a chance, a platform, and the public will have a chance to get a look at him, not just the membership. it is vital we do that. if we tried to stitch it up, it would end in tears. the problem we had last time round with it theresa may not going to the country, not being tested as a

campaigner, led to that a bottle of the 2017 election. so let's go to the 2017 election. so let's go to the country as soon as possible. —— led to the debacle of the 2017 election. the one certainty in the next hour is that borisjohnson will top the poll. ultimately, it will come down to conservative members to pick the leader of the party, and the next prime minister. let's go to my colleague annita mcveigh at the sale conservative club in greater manchester. thank you very much. welcome to sale conservative club, not perhaps a typical evening here, a lot of anticipation building up towards the enhancement of the second round of voting by mps and later on to the debate on the bbc. a little context about where we are. just south west of manchester city centre, this is a labour held constituency, and in the european referendum, this constituency voted by the narrowest

of margins to separate remain and leave. if we look at the parliamentary elections, that wider context, back in 2014, two conservative mps were elected, but last month, the party was definitely feeling the political headwinds of brexit. no conservative mps elected, but three brexit party meps were. let's get a feel for the atmosphere here, janet is here. i guess the leadership contest has been a hot topic of conversation? it has, just like the rest of the country. what are people been saying about it? people are saying we just need stability now, we need strong leadership, we need it sorted sooner. leadership, we need it sorted sooner. a busy evening in prospect! it will be! we have a couple of

local councillors here to talk in detail about what is happening. nathan and liam with me, thank you for joining nathan and liam with me, thank you forjoining me. let's get a sense first of all of where you are with this leadership contest. do you have a favourite? probably sajid javid, boris or michael goes. 0ne a favourite? probably sajid javid, boris or michael goes. one of those three for me, but i'm open minded. i am trying to reach just beyond brexit to try and see what they want to offer the country and a bit of vision. i'm backing boris. i'm still quite undecided between boris and raab, ithink quite undecided between boris and raab, i think they can actually get us raab, i think they can actually get us out of brexit, but i think we need something beyond that. if this

election wasn't about brexit, then i'd probably looking more towards, say, i'd probably looking more towards, r i'd probably looking more towards, say, rory stewart, who's actually saying a few things which are different from the other candidates. ifind it different from the other candidates. i find it interesting you talk about mrjohnson as boris, dominic rab as raab and rory stewart by his full name, why is that? i think that is because boris has the name recognition, you think of his name, the hairand the recognition, you think of his name, the hair and the man recognition, you think of his name, the hairand the man behind it, and i think he has the charisma for the country to sell that message to the people. nathan, you are talking about a vision beyond brexit, do you think that the person who might be best placed to deliver brexit is necessarily the same person who would make a good leader beyond brexit? that is a possibility. but we are faced with what we've got, brexit and beyond brexit. we are

choosing one litre only, i'm not too keen on boris‘ tax cuts, i think i would rather see that on the bottom is an increase in personal allowa nces is an increase in personal allowances as we go beyond. michael gove has been great on the environment, here is a very popular with the education establishment, but he has delivered. there is three good candidates there, really. boris is more for brexit than beyond. ahead of this debate, you are very open minded, as you said. let's see who gets through to that debate later on the bbc. liam, a final word from you, you're notjust electing the conservative leader, you're electing the prime minister — is that when on you as you think about how divided this country is? is that an extra burden of responsibility in this vote? absolutely. it is something that we

have to think about. we also have to think about who will be their leader to lead us into the next general election as well. hopefully, we will have someone who will deliver brexit and to be - to sell a wider and to be able to sell a wider message beyond brexit, and i think boris is someone who can prove that he can win elections. thank you both very much for your time. we may hear from you later just very much for your time. we may hear from you laterjust to compare the before and after, but for the moment, back to you, ben, we will be back here sale conservative club throughout the evening. we are going back to vicki young, i have seen we are going back to vicki young, i have seen comments we are going back to vicki young, i have seen comments from all the candidates that they are confident this afternoon? it is very

suspicious as they scramble for those last votes at the end. whoever comes last will drop out automatically anyway, but anyone who doesn't make that number of 33. so a lot of nerves around, particularly in the rory stewart camp, he has come from nowhere in many peoples eyes, but let's speak to one of the supporters now. can you give us a prediction? i hope rory stewart gets through, because he has electrified this campaign. has taken it beyond out this campaign. has taken it beyond our base, beyond the echo chamber. congratulations to boris johnson, expect him to lead once again, but the question is who will take this forward and test boris? get him to raise his game? the person for that is rory stewart. is a person could be most critical of borisjohnson, some mps are worried about that, worried there is too much low on a blue, too much attacking of each other, and if rory stewart does get

through to the debate on the next couple of hours, it could do a lot of harm to the party? and i wouldn't wa nt of harm to the party? and i wouldn't want that, we don't want to be seen taking chunks out of each other. at the first debate on sunday, i think, was good. showed that we are protesting policies for the future and making clear we need to unite and making clear we need to unite and answer brexit. if we don't solve brexit, our party dies. if we don't unite, jeremy corbyn will nationalise our industries, take us out of nato firm and remove our nuclear deterrent — we don't want that to happen. we need to use this as an exercise to notjust energise need to use this as an exercise to not just energise our need to use this as an exercise to notjust energise our membership but the wider country. the nation wants to see borisjohnson the wider country. the nation wants to see boris johnson and the wider country. the nation wants to see borisjohnson and cora, roy stuart on the other, can't get better. rory stewart is appealing to people are — i would say most of them on twitter is he really reaching out much beyond westminster?” is he really reaching out much beyond westminster? i think he has,

is exciting our basis well. let's not forget, we got trounced in the local and european elections. unless we do something different and reach to the centre ground, into that pool of people we need to support, we will end of people we need to support, we willend up in of people we need to support, we will end up in opposition, so we need to tap that rory stewart energy if we are to succeed. lemons of the first issue is going to be delivering on brexit, and he has a plan which is to get through theresa may's deal that has been rejected three times. i was a credible? signs up three times. i was a credible? signs up the deal is split into two parts, it is the second part that people had concerns over. at the worst oral agreement isjust the had concerns over. at the worst oral agreement is just the basics of how we depart, the terms of the divorce. —— the withdrawal agreements. steve baker —— the withdrawal agreements. steve ba ker tweeted —— the withdrawal agreements. steve baker tweeted earlier that it is not just a backstop that is the problem. there are people in the erg firm that had concerns, and we still need to resolve that. but we have learned anything over this period, surely it

is that we cannot all push our anchored position, our pure vision over brexit, we all have to compromise a little and get this through. where there is a difference of opinion is there have been promises made by some candidates that they will land this by the 315t of october. but if you are somehow not willing to use water oral agreement as your basis, then you're saying you will change something. the eu does not even go back to work until september. that has been the message from rory stewart throughout, saying people had to be honest about what is possible between now and october 31. thank you very much we will have more on the build—up to the announcement at six o'clock. but first, let's get some other news. two neo—nazi teenagers who suggested prince harry should be shot for marrying a woman of mixed race have been jailed for encouraging terrorism. the pair were members of the sonnenkrieg division, an extreme revolutionary nazi group exposed by bbc news in december. our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford reports.

some of the most violent nazi propaganda to emerge in britain — internet posts calling for women who mix with other races to be killed and for attacks on the police. there was even a post — which we're not showing — suggesting prince harry should be shot as a race traitor. the group responsible, sonnenkrieg division, was set up last year, but was exposed by a bbc news investigation. the men were arrested the next day. the group encourage followers to join a violent race war. they were encouraging others online to commit terrorist attacks. and of course, it only takes one individual to be encouraged or be inspired by that propaganda to take that further step. today, michal szewczuk — a computer science student

from leeds responsible for many of the posts — was sentenced to four years, three months in prison. in a blog, he'd also encouraged followers to rape and slaughter women. but when we caught up with him, he seemed less keen to make the same comments on camera. why were you running an account saying all women and babies should be raped? no comment. do you think prince harry should be killed ? no comment. are you looking forward to going to jail? no comment. anything else? no more refugees! 0skar dunn—koczorowski, seen here in the centre of a neo—nazi march, was jailed for 18 months. he had previously been a member of the banned group national action, and did fight training with other former members. 0n the sonnenkrieg social media account, he wrote...

0skar, why did you think that prince harry was a race traitor? again, he seemed less brave when the camera was running. so you're happy to post about nazis on the internet but you're not prepared to admit it on camera? the uk group sonnenkrieg division was linked to this ultra—extreme nazi group... race war now! ..from the united states, called atomwaffen division, that encourages lone—wolf attacks and has been linked to five murders. their ideology is viewed as the most violent, revolutionary, right—wing extremism. heathrow airport has published details of what it calls its masterplan for expansion, which will take place over 30 years and include a third runway by 2026. the proposals require diverting rivers, moving roads and re—routing the m25 through a tunnel under the new runway. heathrow‘s expansion has been highly controversial, particularly among residents living nearby.

the plans are now open to public consultation for three months. 0ur transport correspondent, tom burridge, reports. it's crowded at europe's biggest airport. this is the queue to get off the tarmac. 99% of landing and take—off slots at heathrow are full. not only are the planes queueing up to take off, they're queueing up in the sky to get in. a plane will arrive or leave heathrow every 45 seconds. it's why heathrow says it needs a third runway. and this is what the airport hopes it will look like. the new runway will run over a new section of the busy m25. 761 homes will be demolished, their owners compensated. local roads will be moved, rivers diverted. a new low—emission zone around heathrow could mean additional charges for many vehicles.

and the airport hopes it will be linked up to great western and southern rail. a third runway would potentially mean an extra 260,000 flights per year. environmental groups say we should be curtailing air travel, not expanding it. we are in a climate emergency and heathrow is already the biggest single source of greenhouse gases in the uk. it's time we stop investing further into climate—wrecking airports and invest in our railways and better transport networks. noise pollution is also a major concern for local residents. heathrow says it will increase by an hour and a half the period overnight when flights are not scheduled. it says its terminals and ground operations will be carbon—neutral by next year. one of the things we'll be producing as part of the consultation today is our preliminary environmental impact assessment, which sets out the implications from an air quality, noise and carbon perspective. they are really important factors and we have worked hard to make sure

that we mitigate those. and, clearly, we won't be able to expand unless we deliver on those environmental limits. heathrow says a third runway will boost our economy post—brexit, with freight capacity greatly increased. it also plans to develop terminals 2 and 5 to cope with the additional traffic. like terminal 3's automated baggage zone, every part of heathrow is under pressure. but there's now a blueprint for expansion on the table. the airport hopes work will begin in 2022. the former head of european football, michel platini, is being questioned by anti—corruption investigators in france. prosecutors are looking into allegations of bribery and corruption in connection with the decision to award the 2022 world cup to qatar. he denies doing anything wrong. more weather warnings have been put in place as thunderstorms,

torrential rain and flooding are forecast to batter parts of the uk. some flood—hit communities, such as wainfleet in lincolnshire, could face further damage. 600 homes in the town have already been evacuated after heavy rains last week led to the river steeping bursting its banks. the us will send an additional 1000 troops to the middle east as tensions build with iran. the us military shared new images which, it says, link iran to attacks last week on two oil tankers in the gulf of oman. washington has accused iran of blowing holes in the vessels with mines. iran has denied the allegations. a man who threw milkshake over nigel farage has been ordered to pay the brexit party leader compensation. paul crowther, from newcastle upon tyne, threw the drink in may during the european election campaign, when nigel farage was visiting the city. the districtjudge ordered mr crowther to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and give mr farage

£350 in compensation. time for a look at the weather. the latest forecast now from nick miller. all right ben it's a wet and to the day across parts of england and wales. heavier rain on the day for some as you suggested as we go through tonight and into tomorrow. so this is the area of rain that some of us are contending with two end the day. showers in scotland and ireland, they will use as we continue to the northwest. the bridge of the night, there will be heavy thundery downpours running up parts of parts of southern central and eastern england. some spots could see a lot of rain and a short space of time, risk of flooding disruption going into the morning, and perhaps lights gusty winds and hail, some of these parts around central and eastern england even to the morning rush hour, it's this area of rain trying to clear east during the day, there still could be some heavy downpour is, perhaps even into the evening rush hour in some places. wells, western parts of

englund, drier and brighter. sunshine and showers in scotland and northern ireland. westerly breeze turning things pressure things pressure from where the rain clears. and as for the temperature, still 20 degrees at best. nothing much better for the rest of the week, but friday into the weekend, here is looking —— is looking drier. welcome back to an extended bbc news at 5pm — bringing you live coverage of the result of the second ballot in the conservative leadership race. the result will be announced just after 6 o'clock. the six candidates need at least 33 votes to progress through to the third round. let's get the very latest now from our chief political correspondent vicki young who is in the central lobby of the houses of parliament, vicky? a last minute —— round for votes, with those who finished on the bottom three last time really trying to get to that number of 33, but also hoping of course that that will be enough, because the bottom placed person will of course drop out.

let's speak now to stephen crabb, who is supporting sajid javid. the boating is finished, they are counting the numbers. you can tell me what you think now, because there is no more voting. it will be very tight. we think if every mp who has told us they are going to vote for sajid did actually go going to vote for sajid did actually go through with that and vote, that's a big assumption to make when it comes to conservative leadership elections, then he will be home and dry, and that's what we hoped, but it's really tight. at this stage, it's really tight. at this stage, it's about survival. it's a bit like world cup football, you have tojust keep going through the rounds, and hope of the competition opens up, because i'm sure there will be more twist and turns along the way. what have you made of a campaign in terms of savage abbott, what he has brought to the campaign, there's been a of his background, so called back straight, is that enough, or does he need to have more in terms of policy do you think? it's never interesting to have a back story, but i think sajid by a long shot has the most interesting back story of almost any conservative politician. he genuinely, for me, gives the party a

chance to turn the properly, begin afresh conversation with the country and sajid has got that ability partly because of his background, but partly because of other reasons as well, his skills and what he has it achieved in life. he can connect with people from sony differ backgrounds, people from different ethnic minorities, and we shouldn't forget, into any 17, the conservative party went backwards in terms of connecting with people from ethnic minorities. if that carries on. we are out of business in the future. so to give this party a fighting chance of progressing and doing well, and being successful in the years ahead, i think someone like sajid javid is vital that we have him in a leadership position. are you weighed about the idea that sajid javid put it, it's like in 0xford debating —— debating society, because the people that have gone through, if it's rory stewart and borisjohnson, it through, if it's rory stewart and boris johnson, it may through, if it's rory stewart and borisjohnson, it may not be of course, but they went to to the same 0xford college, do you think that's a problem? 0r 0xford college, do you think that's a problem? or do you think voters don't care about that?” a problem? or do you think voters don't care about that? i think to an extent voters don't care about it, i think because of the issue of brexit, that's clearly dominating

the whole discussion. so people will park, i think to some extent, the issue of social background. i've got nothing against him, it's the very best boss i've ever had, david cameron, but i think there is an issue for our party, when we keep going back to the same school over and overagain for our going back to the same school over and over again for our senior politicians, there's not something quite right about that. and we pride ourselves on being a merit meritocratic party and breaking down barriers and increasing social mobility, we should look like, genuinely look like at the top of the party that we do that, rather thanjust talk the party that we do that, rather than just talk about it, and that's for me, it's not the only reason, but for me it's one of the main reasons why i'm voting for sajid coming and i'm keen to see him do well. have you been surprised like i have that some of the people we've spoken to, who haven't had a good word to say about borisjohnson for the last few years, or are now backing him, or is that inevitable when someone is a front runner? yeah, i'm not surprised. you know? there are a lot of colleagues have spoken to in the last few weeks who have told me that they are backing

boris, and then saying as an after remark, well it's going to be a hell ofa remark, well it's going to be a hell of a roller coaster ride. so they are doing it. argued worried about that for the party? there are always risks from any candidate, you don't know how someone will perform in a job when they're actually there. he did a good job as london mayor, he could well do a good job at being prime minister, but there are a lot of other questions and baggage there to deal with. for example on brexit, why is it that the very hardest call brexiters and our party are trusting with this plan, but also other colleagues who genuinely believe in the softest form of brexit are trusting boris with their plan. both can't be right. so someone is going to end up disappointed in this. so that's why these debates that we are having another tv debate tonight, is so important. it's important for boris' plans to be scrutinised and held up to examination. whoever wins, they will face the same problems as theresa may delivering brexit, because it's a hung parliament, it will be difficult to get a deal through. how concerned are you about our no—deal brexit?

get a deal through. how concerned are you about our no-deal brexit? so lam are you about our no-deal brexit? so i am concerned about a no—deal brexit. i have said consistently for the last three years that that wouldn't be the right outcome, certainly for my constituency, where we have a number of key industries with a type of brexit, the way that we leave the eu really does matter. you can do it in a way that protects your car manufacturing, you could do in the way that protects farming, or we can do in the snow away and say to hell with the economic consequences, to hell with the economic consequences, this is all about sovereignty. so i want to see a smart and intelligent approach, and in fairness to all the candidates, i think they know that as well. i don't think i am very different from most conservative colleagues in this place and wanting, as i say, smart pragmatic resolution to the. stephen crabb, thank you very much indeed. so the nerves i think growing for all the campaign teams. not long before we get the numbers up. vicki, many thanks, vicki young there, our chief political correspondent. let's talk now to the former adviser to theresa may, joeyjones. and a former political advisor to david cameron, joeyjones.

we will wait for the results tonight, laura, tell us what you think the contenders and their people have been doing in the last few days in terms of trying to get mps on their side? well they've all got quite developed whipping operations, so they will have these in norma's spreadsheets with people responsible for individual mps, they will be going around checking them, checking that their support is solid, whether they have any concerns, whether they need a phone call from the principal, and it's been a frenzied hive of activity as you can imagine in the past few days. joey, we are hearing talk of shenanigans and various contenders lending votes to other candidates. what's that about? there's one similarly to last time around, when obviously i was a close observer of what was going on, as spokesman for theresa may, gabby williamson is at the heart of the operation, just as he was for theresa may. when he came onto her team, it was a huge boom, because as david cameron's pps later on chief wit, he knew everybody. he knew, and was able to speak to them

ina way knew, and was able to speak to them in a way where he could sort of get down into their soul and work out whether they wear, whether they were telling the truth or not. the danger is. he's got that trench was better as well, hasn't he? the problem is that every and few things they are a campaign manager. they all think they can do this mother than the next person, and the danger is that they all do it in different ways. so you have some who might've decided or decreed that the person better suited for borisjohnson or decreed that the person better suited for boris johnson to go up against might be say itjeremy hunts, others might say sajid javid, so they end up splitting the vote, and this was a massive headache for theresa may point of view at that time, when she wasjust thinking you just come and vote for me if you actually want me to win. now boris johnson is so out front that those sort of indulgences are probably going to be even more to the forefront of people's mines for —— this time around. it laura he is so far in front, his innocence, despite all this, a foregone conclusion that he's going to win, because if he is basically up to the finals, he's

usually popular with the party memory chip, we know that commies easy he's a shoo—in, isn't he?“ nothing else in politics, nothing is a foregone conclusion. however, he is the outright or by a long way. so imean he is the outright or by a long way. so i mean he is going to be very hard to beat. the most, the person that can probably upset him most is boris. it's a mistake that he needs to make now, which is why tactically for him, the that they have not done many media appearances. is that him holding him back? the campaign tactic of holding himself back com pletely tactic of holding himself back completely make sense, because he is everything to lose and nothing to gain by doing that. i would be surprised if it's smooth sailing all the way through. at some point, i think it's going to be tested. it could be tonight, because given that he has kept his head down, given that he's duct two major occasions, one was for the channel for debate, but then there was the parliamentary lobby that my former colleagues as journalists at westminster who had debates with all

the contestants, but not him, he will be under pressure tonight, he will be under pressure tonight, he will be under pressure tonight, he will be expected to perform, and i think there will be some nerves when he comes out. the format sounds to me,| he comes out. the format sounds to me, i mean, unusual. i he comes out. the format sounds to me, i mean, unusual. lam not quite sure how it will work out, it feels to mea sure how it will work out, it feels to me a bit untested that you don't have an audience and actually, boris johnson thrives on an audience at least when he's got them at his back. and i think the fact that you are talking into a vacuum, with very obviously tough inquisitor and journalist there as well, it means it will be a testing environment for him and for whoever else goes through to, you know, in a short time, but then i beasleyjust has a couple of hours to steal themselves for that event. laura, let's talk about who else might go through, what are your expectations, jeremy hunt did well last time, do you think he will be in second place ain? think he will be in second place again? well it looks likely, yes. so both michael and jeremy obviously made it through the first round last time, as well as boris. you've then got the bottom three, who are kind of gearing themselves up, now

they've all said they have confidence, you expect them to say that. worry stuart said it's touch and go, and if you did get there, it will be quite extra gary. he had 19 and the first—round, he needs to get 33 this time, that's a huge amount to put on, considering the size of the pool they are fishing and, because boris has a much of the vote. i think that each of those individuals that you have talked about there will be looking at, is they need to momentum. even if jeremy hunter were to come second, but broadly speaking with the same numbers, but not seeming to move forward , numbers, but not seeming to move forward, i would say the likelihood is that next time he will go backwards. so they need to be showing that they are growing, and they are putting on support round by round. that is critical, that's why they will be nervous. people have said that rory stewart has got momentum, but is that true, or is that a westminster bubble talking?” mean there's always a standup person that has some momentum it at this stage in the race, and it looks like it's worry stuart, there's certainly been a number of people who are surprising coming out, margojames for example, a lot of the other

camps were going after, and she some that does indicate that there is a certain amount of momentum behind him, so! certain amount of momentum behind him, so i think that he's really the one to watch in terms of whether he comes through or not. dominic and soge both make make it, they were under the threshold last time, so they've said they are competent, but you know... what are your predictions? let's cut to the chase. what your neck is on the block. a meca figure would be amazing of rory stewart went through, given where he was even a few days ago. despite that momentum. all the stuff was going around the country, even on the channel for debate, he looked sort of beseeching the up the camera at the end and said send me through to the next round. who are you talking to? it's not the people, it's not the viewers, it's not me. i have nothing to do it this the mp5 you need to be talking to. people want to see it. everybody is going through. blue maggots the drama. would you think isn't? i think dominic and sajid might not make the threshold. dominic is

effectively swimming in the same because boris johnson. effectively swimming in the same because borisjohnson. ella machen probably hasn't gotten those people over to them early enough. why not? i think boris has got so much momentum that it's almost like, he got a lot of erg quite early on. it meant that it was very difficult for dominant to then pick it up. he was runa dominant to then pick it up. he was run a good campaign, but it's difficult for him now. ideological brexiters, those were the ones that they thought he might be able to get on site, and is and if you got someone like steve baker coming up for borisjohnson, it's done. someone like steve baker coming up for boris johnson, it's done. it's difficult for him. all right, we will hopefully talk to you later, thank you very much indeed. for the moment though, let's go back to my colleague. annita mcveigh who is at the sale conservative club in greater. thank you ben, a gentle hubbub of conversation in the back on here, as we build up to the results of the second boat by mps, and of course watching the debate here on the bbc later, but let's talk broadly with some of the conservative party grasp roots members here, whether they

think they might be going with their vote. because ultimately it will be them who decides who will be the next conservative leader, and prime minister, and here with me in the clu b minister, and here with me in the club are rhyme you as any who is aa level student, and laura evans, who runs a fiber—optic cabling business. laura and ronnie i thank you both for joining laura and ronnie i thank you both forjoining me. what's begin with you laura, what is your thinking at the moment on how you might vote? well we wa nt the moment on how you might vote? well we want to hear a bit more about their story. so i'm quite interested to know where that's going to end up, what they will do about it, i don't want promises, i wa nt about it, i don't want promises, i want some real answers. you want detail? at, absolutely. we have to find out what the plans are to deliver our way out through the brexit negotiations. so that's really important. does the debate do you think have the power to change your mind potentially on who you vote for ultimately? yes. definitely. ithink there's, and i think that that's

probably why we are so keen to see how they fare. because they are going to have to go to negotiate, they've got to be able to negotiate with us to get to where we need to be, and then negotiate there. ronnie, you are just 17, and you will be choosing the next pray minister. it's a big deal for anybody, isn't it? yeah, it's really exciting, it's an important decision, that's rhyme trench make sure i'm really informed, because it will affect my future and everyone around this country. so i'm looking forward to making the decision, i just want more information, sol will definitely be using the debate tonight to make that decision. who are you living towards other moments? at the moment, probably boris, because i think that he probably has the most experience. i mean even if you look at policy outside of brexit, if you look at the way he tackled knife crime when he was mayor of london, i think that's really, really good, and it really screams about his credentials. so i'm leaning towards borisjohnson, but i'm really interested to see what rory stewart says. it's interesting that you

mention two candidates in the field of candidates left, if they both get through to this next stage, are really at opposite ends of the conservative party leadership contest, aren't they? and lots of people have criticised and called it a question borisjohnson's character for thisjob. have you been listening to those concerns, or do they bother you? not particularly. i think that anything outside of politics isn't really what i for my decision on. it's definitelyjust him asa decision on. it's definitelyjust him as a politician, and how he, what he saying about how he's going to get brexit over the line. laura, a lot of the candidates who are still in the contest, let's see how far we still in the contest, let's see how farwe are still in the contest, let's see how far we are away from the results, very close to those results, let's see how many emerge the other side of those. but a lot of the candidates are talking about renegotiating their withdrawal agreement with the eu, which the eu has said isn't up for renegotiation. they are talking in varying degrees about changing the backstop, or removing the backstop designed to prevent a hard border on the border

of ireland. think those candidates are being realistic, because worry stewards, he is the one who is saying that isn't realistic, and wa nts to saying that isn't realistic, and wants to work with the deal that theresa may had put in place, as a basis for the future relationship.” think it was quite interesting that the eu would never go into negotiations, you know, extending, and they have. they came to extending, and they did. so they are asking to do a deal as we are. we just need somebody who's going to go in there and deliver the deal. so i don't... in there and deliver the deal. so i don't. .. it's in there and deliver the deal. so i don't... it's a bit like saying i'm going to pick up the same threads, i think we will have a new leader who's been to pick up new threads, going to make a new regime, they are going to make a new regime, they are going to make a new regime, they are going to be looking at that new leader in a different way. and i think the mandate that the new leader is going to have is to close a deal. are you prepared to vote for someone who is going to say tonight that's if necessary, they will take the uk out of the eu without a deal? iam the uk out of the eu without a deal? i am prepared to vote for somebody who is going to say, i'm going to go

to all, i'm not going to remove an option off the table. i want them to have a very clear message that we have a very clear message that we have somebody who is going to do the deal, but if we go in there, it's like you say with my children, while i'm never going to tell you off no matter if you do your homework and make you onto do this, and you don't adapt, we have to actually say, look, you know, we are out here to get a deal. you need a deal, we needed deal, let's close a deal. ok, we must leave it there at the moment, laura, ronnie, thank you so much for your thoughts this evening. we will be back here throughout the evening, but right now back to you, ben. 0k anita, thank you very much indeed, let's take you back to our chief political correspondent, vicki young. heading announcement being made, just before he goes up there, i will have a word who is supporting jeremy hunt, the foreign secretary, what are your hopes? he hasn't had that more endorsements, then the first—round? more endorsements, then the first-round? i think a number of people don't want to say where they

are people don't want to say where they 'n , people don't want to say where they are going, they have been mulling it over over there, so are going, they have been mulling it overoverthere, sol are going, they have been mulling it over over there, so i think it's a very odd thing to try and predict the results, and when you are going to know it in ten minutes' time, i think a lot of the people i've spoken to have been very impressed with the way in which the foreign secretary has dealt with issues, and answered questions come into been available to answer questions. sol thinkjeremy has available to answer questions. sol think jeremy has had available to answer questions. sol thinkjeremy has had a very good campaign so far, and i hope it's improved on tonight. do think it's been exciting enough? because some are saying that the three has brought something different to this campaign, and jeremy hunt's style means that he is just not really cutting through as much as some of the others. this isn't life in the jungle, or celebrity get me outta here, this is serious business. this is about electing a future premise of this country, and i thinkjeremy hunt, in the way in which he has done interviews and answered questions has shown that he is a serious contender, and as i say, this isn't some sort of quiz show, or anything like that, this is serious business. 0ne like that, this is serious business. one more question before you go, are

you concerned, one more question before you go, are you concerned , as one more question before you go, are you concerned, as someone who's been in the cabinet, was in the cabinet for a long time, are you concerned about the so—called blue on blue, the attacks conservative party numbers, cabinet ministers, you know, fighting it out under the glare of spotlight. it's difficult for the party, isn't it? it is difficult for my don't they could spend too bad, most people have been able to treat each other with respect, because what we are talking about is a very serious issue indeed. but it is a battle of ideas, it is how you not only deliver brexit, but actually the agenda beyond brexit, which is so important. thank you very much indeed. so let's let him go up to the committee corridor there, in order to get the results. vicki, just before you go, we we re results. vicki, just before you go, we were just talking to our studio guests about who might be the unlucky loser tonight, and they were speculating about the rory stewart, who got 19 last time around, and yet some people have said he's got momentum around his campaign, how do you see that? i mean it's really ha rd to you see that? i mean it's really hard to know come and speak into the campaign teams, they don't know either. a lot of them say, look, we

can do it if everyone acts as they say they are going to. if you look at the numbers from last around, rory stewart was on 19, but he has had some declarations, some public declaration since then. people do think the momentum might be with him, because there are lots of the centrists, if you like him in the party who want to see him, even if he doesn't get any further, but get there tonight, so he could take part in that debate on the bbc, and to ask some difficult questions of borisjohnson, i ask some difficult questions of boris johnson, i think ask some difficult questions of borisjohnson, i think dominic raab sajid javid, their teams, pretty nervous right now. in terms of tonight's tv debates, which we will all be watching of course, at eight o'clock on bbc one, it's rather bizarre, isn't it? because the whole country can watch that, yet the whole country is not voting. for the moment it's tory mps that are voting. and they are already talking to the candidates, possibly everyday. you like, that's right, that's the way the system works. of course, we don't choose the premise or, in futures the prime minister. and when a leader of a party moves on, as theresa may has, then it's up to the conservatives under their own rules to do this. and what they are

doing now in these rounds of votes is whittling that number down coming to getting it down to two, and it's a very small electorate that 160,000 or so conservative party members will ultimately get to choose the prime minister. ok, vicki for the moment, thank you very much. so what happens after today's ballot? well let's show you. tomorrow and possibly thursday they'll be further ballots to whittle down the candidates — until we get to the final two, at that point the first hustings with conservative members will get under way. tory members will vote, and the winner of the contest & and our next prime ministers will be announced the week of the 22nd ofjuly. so let's just show you the committee room in the houses of parliament, commission room 14 where the announcement will be made by the 1922 committee. we are thinking maybe around shortly after six o'clock, but of course we will bring

that to you live here on bbc news. we will be looking very closely to see who has got that magic 33. to keep them in the contest. and particularly how borisjohnson has done, the front runner of course last time around, with with mark ——, with more than 100 votes. we will have to see a few more minutes, let's talk to my guests here in the studio again. two former political advisers to theresa may, and david cameron, joeyjones, first of all. this is an exciting race, are you watching it last time around of course, very watching it last time around of course, very closely, with theresa may. does this get the pulse going? yes, it's certainly within the corridors of the paths of westminster, it's pretty much most feeble atmosphere that one can experience, or that i experienced when i was on as you say the government side of the fence, or indeed as a journalist. it's amazing, the whispering in corners,

the conversations, the strong—arming, the promises, the plots, you know? all of that in the speculation as to what's going through people's minds. whatjob has borisjohnson potentially offered to this person or that person, may be the samejob, this person or that person, may be the same job, and this person or that person, may be the samejob, and all of this person or that person, may be the same job, and all of that sort of thing. so yes, it is. and when they vote, the people who have the jobs are the presence or whatever, the rewards, they don't actually know that that person has voted for their man, or woman today. no, that's absolutely right, there was some people who actually ended up was some people who actually ended up being given jobs was some people who actually ended up being givenjobs by theresa may, high—ranking jobs, i was pretty surprised by, because i think that she doubted they had actually voted for her. but i think at that demonstrates once you get in, then it's a clean slate. and that's why i think some of the people who have rode to borisjohnson's eight over the past couple of days, despite having been critical, someone like matt hancock, is clearly doing it on the basis that that will protect his ability to stay in cabinet in the

future. i'm not sure that he will necessarily be counting... to think people are looking with jobs with the way they build your? of course, of course. things are promised right and centre. it's interesting about the point about a secret ballot. last time around, there were some suggestions that actually campaigns we re suggestions that actually campaigns were asking people to take pictures of their ballot in order to prove that they had actually voted the way they said they were going to vote, because you always tell your numbers up because you always tell your numbers up in terms of what you thought you're going to get, and what you actually get, and try to work out who are the people who may be have been voted the way they would. it was impressive wasn't it? boris johnson's team this time around, they predicted it exactly. i can't remember though, he given on the back of an envelope, and someone scrawled on number 14. it was on the money. that's impressive. to make at this time around, they banned cameras, so they stopped people taking pictures of their ballot paper in order to take it back. you we re paper in order to take it back. you were talking to me a few minutes ago about the possibility of boris

johnson does incredibly well today, that you know, the other candidates mightjust drop out, and they would effectively be a coronation. he would be the only one left. is that a real possibility, and if so, would that be healthy? it's a possibility come i think it would be a massive mistake, exactly as vicki was just outlining, this is not voted on by the public, it's incredibly important i think, that the ideas and debates are kind of had in public. and that there's a proper agenda which is prosecuted and analysed, that didn't happen last time around, and actually meant as of theresa may's own team have said that that was a problem, because she didn't feel like she had a mandate going in fora didn't feel like she had a mandate going in for a lot of the domestic policy that she wanted to do, and i think it's important this time around that members get to see that coming they have a proper mandate for the programme. but they are just meant potential routes to it. one is a route whereby conceivable that all the others, if borisjohnsonjust conceivable that all the others, if borisjohnson just hoover's conceivable that all the others, if boris johnson just hoover's up conceivable that all the others, if borisjohnson just hoover's up all the boats, and nobody gets above the threshold, they are all out. they are gone. in five minutes' time. and then, even if borisjohnson wanted a

race, he's got no one to