Results

Sir Archie Hamilton announces the result

Clarke Tops Tory Poll Again

The results of the second-round ballot for the Tory leadership were announced earlier this evening. Here are the scores for the three candidates:

• Kenneth Clarke 64
• William Hague 62
• John Redwood 38

Since none of the candidates received sufficient votes to secure victory, there will be a third ballot on Thursday. Because he received the smallest number of votes, John Redwood has been forced out of the race.

Mr Redwood's supporters will meet tonight to discuss which of the candidates to back.

Clarke: tops poll

Clarke delighted to to top poll

Mr Clarke said he was "delighted" by the result of the poll. "I am the first choice of Conservative MPs and I have the overwhelming support of both the general public and Conservative Party members," he said in a statement.

"The Conservative Party now faces a clear choice. I hope the Conservative Party will unite round me to fight Labour. I will put together a broad-based team drawing on every strand of opinion within the party. Under my leadership the Conservative Party will quickly be able to take on the Labour Party and go on to win the next election." he said.

Hague

William Hague gives his reaction

Just after the result, William Hague spoke to reporters outside Parliament.

Mr Redwood is still refusing to say which of the two surviving contenders he would back in the third ballot. Mr Hague as a fellow right winger and Euro-sceptic might have been expected to pick up the votes of Mr Redwood and the majority of his supporters. But many in the Redwood camp are still making up their mind which way to go on Thursday, wavering between Mr Clarke as the "big hitter" and the more ideologically congenial Mr Hague.

Mr Clarke now needs to win the votes of exactly half Mr Redwood's 38 supporters if he is to gain the 83 votes needed for outright victory on Thursday.

But Kenneth Clarke is still in the lead as in every test of opinion so far. His experience is far superior. He has popular support in the country and Tory MPs of all hues acknowledge his qualities as a 'big hitter'. So there is a real contest still, with some Redwoodites indicating they will transfer to Mr Clarke. Mr Clarke is benefiting from showing himself readier than Mr Hague to accommodate those of differing views. Mr Hague has alienated some centrists by saying he won't take into his shadow cabinet anyone who won't oppose a single currency. He may be forced to rethink now about a formula which would exclude the man who is still leading the contest, and by implication his 64 suppporters.