Matt Hancock withdraws from Leadership Race

Matt Hancock is dropping out of the Conservative leadership race and will pivot behind a rival who can deliver Brexit and champion enterprise, he revealed to the Evening Standard today.


“I have decided to withdraw from the race and work out what is the best way to advance the values that I care deeply about,” he announced in his first interview since yesterday’s ballot.

Read more here:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/matt-hancock-withdraws-from-tory-leadership-race-a4167391.html

Who do you think he'll back?
Do you expect other candidates to withdraw?
Who do you want to see as the next leader?

I think he will back Boris because he's been studying the odds and will want to align himself with a winner

No, I don't expect other candidates to withdraw at this stage

I would like to see Rory Stewart be the next leader as he seems very reasonable and intelligent, but apparently we are getting Boris

I hope Conservative MPs will come to their senses and opt for Larry the cat.

to Stewart.

Do you think Hancock is after something then? Home Secretary?

I feel as though a lot of big names among the Tories won't wish to be in a BoJo government...
Though his brother might get a nice role

Do you think Hancock is after something then? Home Secretary?

I think he will back Boris because he's been studying the odds and will want to align himself with a winner

No, I don't expect other candidates to withdraw at this stage

I would like to see Rory Stewart be the next leader as he seems very reasonable and intelligent, but apparently we are getting Boris

Having always refused to believe that Boris would one day be made party leader and still hoping for that to remain true, I'm putting money on Gove tomorrow merely on an impulse. The field will narrow and it's still a shot in the dark-eish but the idea is that Boris will fade away with exposure and much shuffling around will take place before it narrows down to two. Hunt is Blair Mark III and sucks up to the Clooneys, Rabb got less support than expected and Gove seems to have made it through his cocaine fuelled haze. Stewart too much of a Remainer for the others but credit to him for denouncing the fantasy about leaving by the end of October, something all others peddle to sound tough. I don't have a preference other than seeing somebody else other than Boris.

The only problem is Boris looks nearly certain to be in the final two unless there's serious defections. The Conservative membership also seems to love Boris Johnson and he will likely win as it stands. He really needs to make some outrageous f*** ups in the hustings and TV debates to lose now. (Boris/His team have been smart in dodging all media appearances as he know he is literally his own worst enemy and he's generally in a better position when he doesn't talk. I'm surprised he didn't make a fool of himself in his campaign launch.)

He will be one of the final two but the ground shifts every time somebody is discarded and it's almost like the question at the final round will be: do you really want Boris? He has no appeal or connection with the working classes at all, something pretty much lacking at the top with the Tories and they could be making a big mistake here. Corbyn does the populist act much better, Boris' aura is largely exaggerated within the political bubble.

The tories might loathe Johnson but being the craven and self servings jellyfish that they are they will back him nevertheless.

I'd be rather curious to see what would happen if they did put the kitties name on the Ballot, its not inconceivable he'd do rather well

Boris has already won, they may as well stop the contest now.

The opening favourite has lost before. David Davis and Michael Hessletine.

The opening favourite in the Conservative leadership race always loses, until now.
BoJo already has enough votes to get to the final 2 candidates, and he is the most popular choice amongst Conservative party members by a very big margin, he has already won.

evidence?