The race to become the next leader of the Conservative party and Prime Minister gets underway today as formal nominations are announced.

But there is no clear consensus among the county's MPs over who should be handed the keys to Downing Street and six are undecided or have not publicly said who they support.

There are currently 11 MPs who have declared their intention to stand although the number has thinned out after three hopefuls withdrew before today’s 5pm deadline for nominations.

There was some good news for Boris Johnson after Sevenoaks MP Sir Michael Fallon and ex-Defence Secretary announced he was backing him.

Sir Michael said: “I worked in cabinet with Boris Johnson when he was Foreign Secretary and I was Defence Secretary.

"I saw him in action, week after week around the world, always putting Britain’s interests first.

“We need a leader who will keep Corbyn out of No10. Corbyn and McDonnell would take this country back to the 1970s."

The contest has been overshadowed by the admission by Michael Gove that he took cocaine before entering politics.

Mr Gove, who has apologised for what he says was a mistake, is considered to be among one of the frontrunners and has been endorsed by the Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat.

Candidates will now have to show they have the backing of eight MPs to be formally shortlisted after party officials changed the rules amid concerns that too many people were seeking to enter the contest.

Under the party’s arrangements for selecting a new leader, the first phase will see the Parliamentary party whittle down the shortlisted candidates to two.

That will follow a series of elimination rounds over the next fortnight in which the MPs who get the lowest support will drop out of the race.

There will then be a vote among party members across the country to select a winner - with the result expected towards the end of July.

So far, there is no clear favourite among Kent MPs of those who have publicly declared who they are backing.

Boris Johnson, who is the favourite, has also secured the endorsement with Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins swinging behind the former Foreign Secretary.

Former Brexit minister Dominic Raab has three Kent backers: Helen Grant; (Maidstone and Weald MP); Gareth Johnson (Dartford) and Rehman Chishti (Gillingham).

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is being backed by Damian Green (Ashford) and Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) while Jeremy Hunt has the support of Thanet North MP Sir Roger Gale.

Kent's undeclared MPs are:

• Craig Mackinlay (South Thanet)
• Charlie Elphicke (Dover)
• Adam Holloway (Gravesham)
• Kelly Tolhurst (Rochester and Strood)
• Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells)

Helen Whately (Faversham and Mid Kent) says that as vice chairman of the Conservative party she will not publicly endorse any of the candidates.

Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) says he is waiting to see what constituents say about who they want.

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