But Mr Crabb, who could have gone on to the next round of voting tomorrow (Thursday) – and whose campaign manager was Attorney General Jeremy Wright, MP for Kenilworth and Southam – chose to withdraw from the race.
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Tory leadership contender Andrea Leadsom has dug her heels in the face of pressure from rivals to publish her tax returns, as fresh details have emerged on her time in the City.
Liam Fox was eliminated in fifth place while work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb dropped out after coming in fourth.
“However, the ballot of MPs is only one part of the process, the final decision will be made by members of the Conservative Party nationally, and I am content with that”.
The leadership contest was sparked by David Cameron’s decision to step down as prime minster after the United Kingdom voted by 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, in the 23 June referendum.
Despite her overwhelming support among MPs, Mrs May will be aware that in the two previous contests conducted under the present rules, initial frontrunners Ken Clarke and David Davis went on to be rejected by grassroots members.
She insisted: “I have been clear from the start: the party and the country deserve an open, honest, robust debate – and the next leader needs to have won a mandate to lead”.
The bitter battle to be Britain’s next prime minister will see the final two candidates for Tory leader decided today, as the party was rocked by accusations of backstabbing and vote-rigging.
Mr Gove’s proposer, the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, said he was winning the support of Leave campaigners who wanted a “heavyweight” representative in the race.
Michael Gove was instrumental in seeing Johnson not take the top job.
“I respect the fact that you want Theresa May to be the Prime Minister”.
In the UK, Theresa May has won the first round of the contest to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and the country’s next prime minister.
Mrs May’s supporters have dismissed suggestions that some of her backers tactically “lent” their support to Justice Secretary Michael Gove on Tuesday in the hope of keeping energy minister and prominent Brexit campaigner Andrea Leadsom off the ballot paper.
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This leaves Theresa May as the only remaining contender in the race that campaigned for the United Kingdom to remain the EU.
