Monday (October 24) could be a significant day for the political landscape of the UK, which could see another Prime Minister take charge today.

People are preparing to see whether Rishi Sunak will run unopposed in the new Prime Minister leadership race – or whether political rival Penny Mordaunt will gain enough backing to progress to the next stage of the contest.

As the deadline for MPs to get their votes in – The Northern Echo is answering all the questions surrounding the Conservative leadership contest.

Here is all we know so far:

Who is vying to become the next Prime Minister?  

Rishi Sunak has become the firm frontrunner to be the next prime minister, while Penny Mordaunt is battling to win sufficient support from Tory MPs.

Ms Mordaunt appears far behind, but allies insist they are “confident” she will hit the target, which would see the Commons Leader face off against Mr Sunak in an online ballot of Tory party members.

Read more: Rishi Sunak photographed in London as he awaits PM poll result

Mr Sunak has received backing from about half of the 357 Tory MPs, giving him grounds to say he is the best-placed candidate to try to govern the unruly party.

When is the deadline for Conservative MPs?

The deadline today will be 2pm – with Penny Mourdant needing 100 nominations from Conservative colleagues to progress in the leadership contest.

What could happen next?

If Penny Mourdant fails to find the backing, Mr Sunak will effectively receive a “coronation” from Conservative MPs and quickly succeed Liz Truss as prime minister – seven weeks after he lost out to her in the last contest.

A Government source said the new prime minister could be in place as soon as Monday if the Tory leadership contest does not progress further.

If Ms Mordaunt does win enough support to make the next stage, MPs will decide which of the two candidates they prefer in an “indicative” vote.

The Northern Echo: Rishi Sunak. Picture: PA MEDIARishi Sunak. Picture: PA MEDIA (Image: PA MEDIA)

There will then be a final online poll of party members to decide the outcome, with the result due on Friday – unless one of the candidates pulls out.

Ms Mordaunt could find herself under pressure to withdraw if she finishes a long way behind Mr Sunak in the poll of MPs – should it go to a vote, even though she is popular with the Tory grassroots.

What happened with Boris Johnson?

Mr Johnson had returned home from a Caribbean holiday as he plotted a return to No 10 less than two months after being ousted following a series of scandals, but later ruled out standing.

In a statement on Sunday evening, he said there was a “very good chance” he could have been back in No 10 by the end of the week if he had stood but admitting he could not unite his warring party.

His efforts to “reach out” to his rivals – Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt – to work together in the national interest had not been successful, he said, so he was dropping out.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Mr Johnson said he had been “overwhelmed” by the support he had received from people urging him to run just weeks after being forced out by his own MPs after one scandal too many.

The Northern Echo: Penny Mourdant. Picture: PA MEDIAPenny Mourdant. Picture: PA MEDIA (Image: PA MEDIA)

If he had stood, he said there was a “very good chance” the members would have voted him back into No 10 by the end of week and that he would have been “well-placed” to lead the party to victory in a general election in 2024.

However, he said he had come to the conclusion that “this would simply not be the right thing to do”.

“You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament,” he said.

“And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here

“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”