Six candidates remain in the running to replace United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson after Wednesday's first round of voting, the Conservative Party announced, with finance minister Nadhim Zahawi and former foreign minister Jeremy Hunt eliminated.

Rishi Sunak, who quit as finance minister last week to trigger Johnson's downfall, leads the pack with the support of 88 Tory MPs, followed by Penny Mordaunt, on 67, who polling shows is most popular with the party membership that will ultimately decide the race.