this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the uk this week gets a new prime minister — the formerfinance minister rishi sunakjoins penny mordaunt in officially declaring he will run. he's leads the pack with the most mps backing him publicly. the question now — does former prime minister borisjohnson have enough supporters to stand? the people who are doing the numbers for boris is campaign tell me that they have the numbers. so the hundred that is necessary. so the hundred that is necessary. xijinping has become the most powerful leader in china in decades, after being given a third term as leader of the communist party. we're on the front line in ukraine as president zelensky�*s troops continue to take back

territory from russia. whether villages like this are occupied or liberated, the result is the same. communities are destroyed. but there is relief here for the end to belief that people can one—day heels. the first birthday cards from king charles and the queen consort, camilla have been delivered to people across the uk celebrating their 100th and 105th birthdays. thank you forjoining us. you are joining us at a critical moment because we'rejust joining us at a critical moment because we're just hearing that borisjohnson is not to stand for the tory leadership. saying that despite having the support of mps required to run he had come to the

conclusion and i will go view, "this would simply not be the right thing to do. "you can't govern effectively and less you have a united party in parliament. breaking news, and the last moment that borisjohnson has declared that he will not be standing for the tori leadership. his campus made it quite clear that they thought they had the 100 plus mps in support of borisjohnson to enable him to stand as a candidate. and he would be standing up against rishi sunakfor sure. and with and he would be standing up against rishi sunak for sure. and with the potential for a rishi sunak for sure. and with the potentialfor a penny rishi sunak for sure. and with the potential for a penny more to enter the fray. but that is not to be. so after declaring just a few —— penny morton. borisjohnson has now announced he will not be standing i will quote that one more time for you he had said, "this would simply not do the right thing to do as you

can't govern effectively unless you have eight united party in parliament. that newsjust have eight united party in parliament. that news just coming to us. our political correspondent is here with us for the bed that story. well, dramatic development. one that has been speculated about for the people have been talking about the idea that borisjohnson might be reluctant to go for with the best unless he was very clear that he would be in a commanding position was at and what has become absolutely obvious over the weekend is that he's not. rishi sunak is the one who has garnered far more public nominations, public support from mps. interestingly, just a short time ago mrjohnson�*s own backers had been putting out in messages claiming that he has reached this 100 mp level that is needed to be in the contest tomorrow. but even at

that level it is been questions about that. the public nominations or the public support declaration we had isjust over 50. quite or the public support declaration we had is just over 50. quite a or the public support declaration we had isjust over 50. quite a lot short. and questions about whether mrjohnson would be going ahead if he seemed to be a long way up behind. now we have seen this messagejust come behind. now we have seen this message just come through from him. and interestingly in it he does say that says he reached out to both rishi sunak and penny morton in hopes that they week come together we have sadly not been able to do this. —— penny mordaunt. two meetings today, one today with penny mordaunt when yesterday with rishi sunak it seems in both mrjohnson may have been looking for support. his reaching out means effectively, can you give your support to meet not in terms of yourself at least in terms of penny mordaunt. it seems. just before the start i was having a

conversation with someone closer to the penny mordaunt campaign. the? the penny mordaunt campaign. they were sa in: the penny mordaunt campaign. they were saying their— the penny mordaunt campaign. tie: were saying their message to mr borisjohnson in that telephone conversation had been a very simple and direct one, which was she was not going to be standing aside because she believed that she was the preferred candidate to go forward. and his supporters would migrate to her, not the other way around and that the party should have a contest between her and mr rishi sunak. and she wants to be seen as the unified force. there has been a lot of rancour in the conservative party, deep divisions between boris johnson conservative party, deep divisions between borisjohnson and rishi sunak. and if the members want a contest should be her going forward. she was absolutely at the mind to see borisjohnson she would not be standing back. sorry, she still sits on her supporters. where will the jewel borisjohnson supporters go? i will read a couple of lines from the statement. first of all, he said

i've been attracted to the idea of standing because i lead our party to a massive objective and i therefore believe i am uniquely placed to avert a general election now. he does go on to say that in the course of the last few days of come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament put up adding, "i can confirm, i have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations. " he's not lacking in confidence, he never was. but has steed in confidence, he never was. but has stepped away- _ in confidence, he never was. but has stepped away- he — in confidence, he never was. but has stepped away. he has. _ in confidence, he never was. but has stepped away. he has. what - in confidence, he never was. but has stepped away. he has. what is - stepped away. he has. what is interesting is he stepped away at a point where we do not know and we will never know whether he really reached at 102 level. so is mr johnson genuinely stating this and saying he has stepped back in the interest of the party and the country or is this a face—saving get out for him? he sees he's not

getting the numbers. what's interesting is the sort of talk going on that conservative mps, some were reluctant to go forward and publicly commit to backing him without being sure that he would follow through. they didn't themselves want to be landed in a situation where they would sign onto backing him and be left in lurch. anyway, some were perhaps holding back. but we also know that many, including people that would have been close to borisjohnson in the past had been removing their support over to rishi sunakfor the past had been removing their support over to rishi sunak for the sum to penny mordaunt but two days and quite big backerfrom marsjohnson�*s brexit days going to rishi sunak. this is a huge puncture, if you like into the whole drama of what this race might look like. with the boris johnson out of the way, i was speaking to a former tory mp, a common slimness with the time sue said he could see a way in which ——

columnist. he could see a way which rishi sunak could come to public declarations of support, which of course would leave borisjohnson know to go. it's ironic if he gets he was 102 and says i won't stand for that as we say, we don't know. he says he's made his 102. we don't know that put up because he will not now have to put those in and have those formally counted. interesting now, yes, how does this now play out? we don't know because rishi sunak sitting on 140 odd mps, penny mordaunt 20 odd mps backing her. are we going to see enough come behind any more than in the next few hours that she hits that 100 mark that she has to hit to have a contest tomorrow? 0rwill we has to hit to have a contest tomorrow? or will we see effectively only one person walking away with it in the morning?— in the morning? don't go away. i want to speak — in the morning? don't go away. i want to speak to _ in the morning? don't go away. i want to speak to a _ in the morning? don't go away. i want to speak to a formative - want to speak to a formative

conservative party member. thank you forjoining us. this dramatic moment i was going to ask you, you were coming on the programme in any case whether boris could return and should return. that is sort of redundant now. i might still ask you whether he should have or not. absolutely not. i think this is the first positive sign that the conservative party might be beginning to take themselves seriously again. that i versus last week or so. i think it would have been wholly inappropriate for boris johnson to come back again. i think it reflected badly on him that he was even considering doing it. the only thing that he could justify that moved by was they truthful that he won such a majority of the conservative party in 2019. but it didn't take into account how many things have changed since then. and actually his chair would likely

hasten the near demise of the conservative party, such would've been its controversy. let's hope he is done this in the spirit of being statesmanlike. but if he chooses to return sometime in the future it will be a wholly different set of circumstances.— will be a wholly different set of circumstances. ,, . ~ , ., circumstances. statement like, you sa .what circumstances. statement like, you say. what would _ circumstances. statement like, you say. what would be _ circumstances. statement like, you say. what would be the _ circumstances. statement like, you say. what would be the effect - circumstances. statement like, you say. what would be the effect or i say. what would be the effect or what you think? should he let it out be known who he would like to be the next regular of the conservative party? he's got 102 supporters, at least he tells us.— least he tells us. let's hope that they can make — least he tells us. let's hope that they can make up _ least he tells us. let's hope that they can make up their - least he tells us. let's hope that they can make up their own - least he tells us. let's hope that - they can make up their own mind. i'm afraid to say that some of them simply will choose not to back rishi sunakfor personal simply will choose not to back rishi sunak for personal reasons. because there is a feeling that rishi sunak was the person who led to the downfall of borisjohnson, rather than people being grown up and just accepting that largely his downfall was brought upon by himself. not all

of his, in fact quite a few of his supporters, borisjohnson supporters supporters, boris johnson supporters thatis supporters, borisjohnson supporters that is will choose in principle to transfer their votes to rishi sunak. whether or not borisjohnson should declare, i think honestly it would be better if he would keep his counsel for the time being. [30 be better if he would keep his counsel for the time being. do you think there — counsel for the time being. do you think there should _ counsel for the time being. do you think there should be _ counsel for the time being. do you think there should be a _ counsel for the time being. do you think there should be a contest? i think there should be a contest? what would be the best thing for the conservative party and for party members to have what could well be a sort of combination of rishi sunak now or in fact for there to be two people who managed to get over that 100 hurdle and stan?— 100 hurdle and stan? speaking personally. _ 100 hurdle and stan? speaking personally. i— 100 hurdle and stan? speaking personally, ithink— 100 hurdle and stan? speaking personally, i think of— 100 hurdle and stan? speaking personally, i think of the - personally, i think of the everybody�*s interest if this was wrapped up as quickly as possible. and if there were a coronation as you put it tomorrow because the conservative party is the party of government. and it really ought to be concentrating on the government of this country rather than ripping

itself to pieces and public. there will be some party members who feel badly done by, they don't get to have a say. yet, what we're looking at is the possibility that yet again, the second time in only a few weeks we would end up with a situation where mps overwhelmingly backed one candidate and then they were effectively forced to work with somebody as the leader in the house who had been favoured by party membership. so you have a schism between the party membership and the mps, at two if you like at the sharp end of political activities. that has proven unsustainable. and i think it would approve an unsustainable again in very short order. i don't see the advantage now in having a runoff that would last another week until friday of this coming week. and it looks as though rishi sunak will be able to claim

that he has a mandate of the majority of the mps. as you said at the start, we don't know exactly where borisjohnson votes will trance fire. some will transfer to penny mordaunt. i think she would also state, if she would decide to not to continue but she's obviously ambitious. and she is very popular with some party members who do you see her as a fresh face i would suggest she is somewhat untried. nevertheless, to a certain extent she has seen herself as being a kingmaker. she now has a different type of king making role, which is potentially to stand aside so that things couldn't move more quickly than they would do otherwise. boris johnson is holding _ than they would do otherwise. boris johnson is holding centre stage for the moment. in the last few minutes from the news that he was just delivered to us. is this the moment in which penny mordaunt also steps

up in which penny mordaunt also steps up from being inexperienced to getting a seniorjob in a rishi sunak government, or that to be the way this would run out? because if there is a coronation of sorts it would presumably give rishi sunak a chance to create a very balanced cabinet. where we have not seen where the division five. i cabinet. where we have not seen where the division five.— where the division five. i think what ou where the division five. i think what you are _ where the division five. i think what you are suggesting - where the division five. i think what you are suggesting is - where the division five. i think l what you are suggesting is quite important because both liz truss and borisjohnson were rightly criticised for not being able to bring together cabinets that reflected the wide talent and difference of opinions across the conservative party. they both seem to reward people who primarily supported them during their leadership campaigns. that i think led to a sense that we weren't getting the best of ability

represented in the cabinet. if your question is, will rishi sunak do that, then obviously he would be very well advised to do that. of course he needs people in the cabinet should he become the leader who will be there to support his direction of travel. the other problem that we've seen of course in recent months with both previous leaders was a lack of discipline. rishi sunak has been highly criticised for having led a campaign against borisjohnson and a sense of being disloyal. but i think that came after a long period of private disagreements. the conservative party has to learn that of course it will have disagreements, of course it will abate direction of travel of policy but it has to learn to be disciplined again and to keep these debates essentially behind private games until they make a collective judgment on policy. games until they make a collective judgment on policy-— games until they make a collective

judgment on policy. taking much for “oininr us judgment on policy. taking much for joining us and _ judgment on policy. taking much for joining us and giving _ judgment on policy. taking much for joining us and giving us _ judgment on policy. taking much for joining us and giving us your - joining us and giving us your response to the news that is come into us that borisjohnson who over the last few minutes has issued a statement in which he has declared that he will not be standing as a candidate for the leadership of the conservative party again. as he put it at the end of his statement, "i believe i have much to offer but i believe i have much to offer but i believe this is simply not the right time. "even though he made very clear in his statement that he is cross that threshold of 102 nominations, that very high hurdle which would've enabled him to stand. in our uk correspondent is with me. you are picking up furiously on the reactions as they coming end. yes. interestingly. _ reactions as they coming end. yes. interestingly. a _ reactions as they coming end. yes. interestingly, a lot _ reactions as they coming end. yes. interestingly, a lot of— reactions as they coming end. .as interestingly, a lot of scepticism i am picking up about this idea of borisjohnson saying he has 100 backers ready and ready to go it is now pulling out. a lot of people saying well, i'm sure that that is actually the case and he is not going to have to now put down any

names to the committee that runs this for the conservative party. and have to show that he does have those was out you have to take it on trust and many people are not taking it on trust. some looking at this feeling that boris johnson trust. some looking at this feeling that borisjohnson has read the room, perhaps in his heart doesn't feel he has 100 to go forward, that's one possibility. the other possibility is what he can clearly see from this, i think others are clearly seen already is that a large number of mps have sung the next one behind rishi sunak even if boris johnson to get 100, even if he could force a contest to go to the conservative party members this week, and even if he could win that he would still be facing coming back to parliament and trying to if he became prime minister again trying to run the show with half his own party not wanting him there. he does

say in his letter, you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament. i have sadly come to the conclusion this would simply not be the right thing to do. i think he is recognised that reality, whether he did have the 100 or not it was not that a work in parliament. he or not it was not that a work in parliament-— or not it was not that a work in arliament. , �* ,, ., ., , parliament. he must've known in any case it would — parliament. he must've known in any case it would be _ parliament. he must've known in any case it would be a _ parliament. he must've known in any case it would be a contest _ parliament. he must've known in any case it would be a contest and - parliament. he must've known in any case it would be a contest and it - case it would be a contest and it would be a split in the party with some going with rishi sunak or penny mordaunt and some going with boris johnson for up he would know that in any case. there must've been a point at which he and his closer cohorts have looked at the figures and just said, game is up. have looked at the figures and 'ust said. game is up-i said, game is up. interesting, at what point. _ said, game is up. interesting, at what point, seems _ said, game is up. interesting, at what point, seems it _ said, game is up. interesting, at what point, seems it hasn't - said, game is up. interesting, at- what point, seems it hasn't happened too long ago because interestingly, one of his big backers in the last day or so was a cabinet minister who had been a close orchard of him, he had been a close orchard of him, he had called on borisjohnson to resign, nadine zahawi. had decided

that time was up, he then said that actually, he was now coming back behind borisjohnson to much boris johnson shook him back because he was the right person. he had written an article that is just been published on line going out in the papers tomorrow saying, nobody can better face off the threat posed by labour party they boris johnson for what we need. and within minutes of that going online the candidacy has been halted. presumably they weren't able to pull back that going ahead. well, the decision to pull out of the race was made borisjohnson leaving some of his backers looking a little high and dry here. and people like nazim zahawi. but it clearly now the question is going to be, is penny mordaunt going to get enough votes to force a contest now? and clear 100. we will we had to

cabinets going forward or will this swing behind rishi sunak? descent seems to be that rishi sunak is way out in front. it seems to be that rishi sunak is way out in front-— out in front. if he has had 102 ready to support _ out in front. if he has had 102 ready to support him - out in front. if he has had 102 ready to support him in - out in front. if he has had 102 ready to support him in this l ready to support him in this contest, there will be a good number who might yet say yeah, this is clearly not the time for boris johnson to be prime minister but he could play a significant role now and he has almost been redeemed a little bit in the course of this little bit in the course of this little episode two take, if not a very front—line position in the party. maybe one that builds up to the next general election. thea;r party. maybe one that builds up to the next general election. they were --eole out the next general election. they were people out there _ the next general election. they were people out there suggesting - the next general election. they were people out there suggesting today i people out there suggesting today from conservative party mps saying that perhaps the thing for boris johnson to do would be to step aside. and could he be given some of the role, could he be made party

chairman? 0ne the role, could he be made party chairman? one of his old brexit team who is now in the government, steve baker, he had come out today and said perhaps borisjohnson could be party chair of the conservative party because he is good with people could be out there as a sort of front man during any forthcoming election. there was some discussion, some chatter about, was there potentially some of those discussions happening in the background this weekend, those meetings going on, rishi sunak and borisjohnson? we simply don't know. perhaps there may be some sort of chatter like that. but clearly boris johnson here framing this decision as a sort of statesman—like thing to do. saying, is in the national interest, he hoped he would come together in the national interest but the best thing to do is not to go forward. but then this is simply not the right time. if he had the

102 are not he is sort of trying to exit gracefully at this point. you sa this exit gracefully at this point. you say this is _ exit gracefully at this point. you say this is simply _ exit gracefully at this point. you say this is simply not the right time he didn't write asked all of you start this particular statement. nonetheless he does say i am well placed to deliver a conservative victory in 2024. that is some way off. and whoever is at the helm is going to have a heck of a battle dealing with the economic crisis that face this country for the sake to be a pleasant ride and it they could become extremely unpopular in the course of the next 18 months or so. ,., ., , ., ., a so. even potentially a lot quicker than that because _ so. even potentially a lot quicker than that because we _ so. even potentially a lot quicker than that because we know- so. even potentially a lot quicker than that because we know that l than that because we know that coming up in a week's time the government has said that it is going to put forward a new budget economic plan. how they are going to balance a book after all the economic chaos we had in the usual that has been apparent in the public finances, billions of pounds worth of savings

to find. that implies cuts or tax rises. that's not going to be a very popular thing to do in a time of real economic difficulties yes, real hardship is coming. you still have to ask a question, even with boris johnson stepping back now, where does this leave divisions in the conservative party? there is a chance perhaps to heal now if he had pressed ahead it would been a very divisive battle for leadership. but many of his supporters as you are hearing do not feel, there's quite a lot of animosity toward rishi sunak. they think rishi sunak helped and borisjohnson's time as prime minister when rishi sunak resigned as chancellor earlier this summer. and there is still quite a lot of opposition to rishi sunak. if tomorrow he seems to have an overwhelming number of mps, that may help to sweep some of that aside.

then i think what we will have to see is that if rishi sunak moves forward and who he starts to include in his government. the indications are he would probably try, and both penny mordaunt saying both talking about how if either one of them goes forward to beat you to fires, to bring in other candidates on the wings of the conservative party. that was seem to be a mistake that liz truss made. very much for her own backers and offer anything broader. both of these figures left in the race promising a unifying move. it is not to be an easyjob. it is interesting, it is looking more likely, let'sjust it is interesting, it is looking more likely, let's just say that, that there won't be a contest as such. it could bejust that there won't be a contest as such. it could be just down to rishi sunak getting the key to number ten on the nod. party members don't get a say, party members don't like rishi sunak. you can see how the

fermenting of frustrations and anger could yet go on within the party, evenif could yet go on within the party, even if maybe wejesse for a few weeks some sense of stability returning to the government. yes. the first thing _ returning to the government. yes. the first thing i _ returning to the government. yes. the first thing i would _ returning to the government. yes. the first thing i would say - returning to the government. .es the first thing i would say is, the conversation i was having just before the news that borisjohnson was pulling out, dropped, with sources close to the penny mordaunt campaign, they were absolutely clear they were pressing forward. they believe that their candidate has a broad appeal and can pick up votes from borisjohnson, can have a broad appeal to the party and she is in no mood to stand aside. penny mordaunt believes that she can win the votes of the party members and be that person to be a fresh face with up they talked about the deep rancour in the party between borisjohnson and rishi sunak and a fresh face in penny mordaunt. that's the campaign pitch. there was no indication even

a few minutes ago that they were in any mood to step back. and were saying that penny mordaunt deliver that message to borisjohnson, he should be the want to step back, let her supporters got it take to her, that's what they will want. than that's what they will want. an important _ that's what they will want. an important point you make there are so many potentials for twists and turns. what does this leave boris johnson? we have found within six or seven weeks or over the summer him sort of sailing gently away a little bit for that comes rushing back and put up now really, that door is shut for a while, isn't it?— for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to sa , for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to say. this — for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to say. this is _ for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to say. this is a — for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to say, this is a fairly _ for a while, isn't it? yes. you have to say, this is a fairly damaging . to say, this is a fairly damaging episode for him. he came back from his caribbean holiday, very obviously was on the phone canvassing mps, trying to win support and it has fallen short.

it's absolutely clear that that's what's happening. in some way i think there is the aura of boris johnson in the party may be is fading. clearly quite a number of mps who did want them to stand, did believe he was the right person to survive pulling back revived their fortune, like the idea he lays back in a statement that he won an election the last time for them and still has some sort of a mandate. but i think those ideas now are likely to be put to bed, if you like ljy likely to be put to bed, if you like by what's happened in this contest was up and crucially, he still faces an important investigation by parliament in the next few weeks, where a parliamentary committee will look into whether he lied to parliament about the lockdown parties and rule breaking during lockdown. that committee will lockdown. and that committee will deliver its findings. finds he deliver its findings. it finds he lies he could then be fine to

sanctions and the sanctions could include at the outpost onto his seat. he is farfrom parliamentary seat. he is far from out of the woods in this story. let me recap on _ out of the woods in this story. let me recap on borisjohnson statement in which he has declared that he is not standing for the leadership of the conservative party. i will read the conservative party. i will read the last few lines. he said "you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament. and though i've reached out to both rishi sunak and penny mordaunt because i hoped we could come together in the national interest we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this. therefore, i'm afraid the best thing is that i do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds postop" not laying out any cards as to who he would like to back there. i believe i have much to offer but i'm afraid this is simply not the right time. boris

johnson is out of the leadership contest. the only two characters whom we know have publicly expressed that they are in our rishi sunak and penny mordaunt. just on the bbc�*s own figures, i think i can lay out, we had an understanding of 147 supporting mps supporting that manner, rishi sunak. and just 24 having publicly declared their support for penny mordaunt. that would suggest that she has quite a lot of work to do. however, if boris johnson is correct in saying he had managed to clear 102 nominations well, there may be a significant proportion of those who would want to turn to penny mordaunt rather than to rishi sunak. we have until the end of the week before this might be concluded. i suppose we

should point out, it may lay out the timetable. it may still yet to take us to the end of the week. yes. timetable. it may still yet to take us to the end of the week.- us to the end of the week. yes. i should say. _ us to the end of the week. yes. i should say. in — us to the end of the week. yes. i should say, in the _ us to the end of the week. yes. i should say, in the last _ us to the end of the week. yes. i should say, in the last few- us to the end of the week. yes. i i should say, in the last few minutes it seems rishi sunak campaign sources being quoted as saying we're not taking anything for granted. rishi sunak will continue to talk to her colleagues before nominations papers go in and discussing how best to take the party forward. the rishi sunak camp saying well, they are not taking anything for granted, they are going to continue pressing forward. exactly, we don't know exactly what will happen with penny mordaunt campaign, how many votes she might pick up. one or two possibilities now. tomorrow we could have penny mordaunt getting more than 100 votes needed along side rishi sunak. if that happens tomorrow we then have a vote of mps, there will be a hustings in parliament where they both candidates will have to present

themselves with up there will be a vote of mps,