Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt head to runoff to be UK’s next prime minister

Former London Mayor Boris Johnson and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are headed for a runoff vote to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister.

Michael Gove, secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was eliminated from the race to lead the Tories after only receiving the support of 75 Conservative members of Parliament (MPs), two fewer than Hunt, the BBC reported Thursday.

{mosads}Johnson, the race’s favorite, got the support of 160 MPs.

Johnson, a former MP and foreign secretary, and Hunt will now compete in a run-off of the Conservative Party’s roughy 160,000 members. The winner will be announced in the week of July 22, according to BBC.

The Tory Party is picking a new leader after current Prime Minister Theresa May resigned from the role earlier this month amid her failure to secure a Brexit deal. May will stay on as prime minister until her replacement is selected.

I’m deeply honoured to have secured more than 50 per cent of the vote in the final ballot. Thank you to everyone for your support! I look forward to getting out across the UK and to set out my plan to deliver Brexit, unite our country, and create a brighter future for all of us. pic.twitter.com/i5D4ByurAM

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 20, 2019

I’m the underdog – but in politics surprises happen as they did today. I do not doubt the responsibility on my shoulders – to show my party how we deliver Brexit and not an election, but also a turbo-charged economy and a country that walks tall in the world

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 20, 2019