The Rules

There had been some debate about whether to allow party members a greater role in the election of party leader - the Chairman of the National Union (the voluntary side of the party) and Party Chairman Brian Mawhinney said grassroots activists should be involved directly with up to 20 per cent of the vote in an electoral college. However, the 1922 Committee decided that the next leader should be elected under the existing rules by the 164 Conservative MPs.

How many supporters does a candidate need in order to stand? Just 2 - the minimum needed is the backing of a proposer and a seconder (both of whom must be MPs).

Who can vote? The rules say all MPs in receipt of the Conservative whip can vote. In the last leadership election in 1995, the then Chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Marcus Fox, also ruled that two Conservative MPs not in receipt of the Whip - Dame Janet Fookes (Deputy Speaker) and Michael Morris (Chairman of Ways and Means) could vote if they wished.

The Chairman of the 1922 Committee will again presumably have discretion over whether Alan Haselhurst (Chairman of Ways and Means) and Michael Lord (Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means) are entitled to vote.

What if an MP is unable to vote in person? If an MP is "unavoidably absent" from the House of Commons on the day of the ballot, the Chairman of the 1922 Committee can make arrangements for a proxy vote.

So it's just the MPs' decision? Well, the MPs are the only ones currently entitled to vote, but the rules say there should be consultation. The officers of the 1922 Committee are informed of the views of Conservative peers, MEPs and constituency activists. MPs can then consult the Committee to find out what the wider party thinks. MPs are also required to canvass the views of their respective associations.

OK, but how does the voting work? It's organised in a series of ballots - the first of which is on June 10. Candidates can win on the first ballot, but need to have an overall majority of the votes of all those entitled to vote (83 votes given the Conservative Parliamentary Party's current size), and have a lead over the second-placed candidate of at least 15% of the votes of all those entitled to votes (ie 25 votes).

What if nobody meets that? If no candidate in the first ballot wins 83 or more votes, or wins more than that but fails to lead by at least 25 votes, then there must be a second ballot a week later on June 17. Candidates who want to remain in the second ballot must re-enter their nomination.

How many votes do you need to win on the second round? An overall majority of the votes of all those entitled to vote (ie 83 votes).

And if nobody gets that? If no candidate receives 83 votes, the two candidates who wish to remain in the race and won the highest number of votes in the second round go forward to a third ballot two days later on June 19.

Then on the third round? The candidate winning a majority of the votes cast will be elected. Should the result be a tie, and in the event that the candidates are unable to resolve the matter between themselves, a fourth ballot shall be held on the following Tuesday - June 24.

So the winner then becomes party leader? Yes, but they do have to attend a meeting of MPs, peers, MEPs and the Executive Committee of the National Union where they'll be approved by acclamation.