The Conservative party will choose its next leader from a 10-strong shortlist, which is headed by the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

The list of candidates was formally announced tonight at Westminster by the chairman of the 1922 committee.

It sets in train a series of elimination rounds over the next few weeks when Conservative MPs will decide which two candidates will take part in a final run-off when paid-up party members will decide who they want as leader.

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The MPs who will go through to the next round are:

Boris Johnson

Jeremy Hunt

Michael Gove

Matt Hancock

Dominic Raab

Esther McVey

Sajid Javid

Angela Leadsom

Rory Stewart

Ahead of the announcement, leadership hopefuls set out various pledges on some of the key issues, including Brexit.

Favourite Boris Johnson chose to unveil a plan to cut income tax bills for people earning more than £50,000 a year.

The run-up to the shortlist has also seen further scrutiny of Michael Gove after his admission that he had taken cocaine - a class A drug - several times when he was a journalist.

Mr Gove has been supported by the Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat, who confirmed he would continue to back the environment secretary, saying: "We need to judge people by the ideas they are bringing to the table today, not what they did 20 years ago."

He set out his manifesto with a pledge to scrap VAT but was forced to fend off renewed questions about his use of drugs.

He urged people to accept that everyone should be given a second chance.

WATCH: Is Michael Gove fit to be Prime Minister?

Meanwhile, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was the right person to lead the government through a serious period.

He said: "This extremely serious moment calls for an experienced, serious leader.

"We need the art of tough negotiation, not the art of empty rhetoric."

Health secretary Matt Hancock depicted himself as a moderniser and an optimist, saying: “I love people. If you look inside everyone’s heart, there is something of value."

He was nominated by Ashford MP Damian Green.

Dominic Raab, who is supported by three Kent MPs, pledged to raise the threshold for employee’s National Insurance, to take the lowest paid out of payroll taxes altogether.

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