Iran Press/ Europe: Boris Johnson's resignation comes following a slew of cabinet ministers quitting their posts, beginning with Sajid Javid's resignation as health secretary on Tuesday night. The total number of concessions currently sits at 59.
Former finance minister Rishi Sunak widened his lead in the latest round of voting Monday by Conservative MPs to decide Britain's next prime minister, but the race to get in the final two tightened.
Sunak won the support of 115 Tory lawmakers, followed by Penny Mordaunt on 82 votes, Liz Truss on 71, Kemi Badenoch on 58 and Tom Tugendhat on 31, who drops out as the last-place candidate, the party announced.
MPs will keep voting until only two candidates remain, the winner then being decided by the party members.
Mordaunt had been bookmakers' favorite before the weekend, but lost votes from the previous round.
"Conservative MPs are said to be concerned about the damage the debates are doing to the image of the Conservative party, exposing disagreements and splits within the party," it added in a statement.
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UK PM Boris Johnson resigns
