The final result of the Conservative leadership election will be announced on September 5, the Tory committee overseeing the battle has revealed – meaning a date has been set when prime minister Boris Johnson will be expected to stand down.
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, announced the date as he confirmed the first ballot of Tory MPs in the election of a new leader will take place on Wednesday, with candidates requiring the support of 20 MPs to stand.
Candidates must win at least 30 votes from party colleagues to progress. A second ballot is planned for Thursday.
If the number of candidates has not then been narrowed down to two, ballots are expected to begin again on Monday next week.
The second phase of the election will see around 100,000 paid-up members of the Conservative party vote on which of the two remaining candidates they prefer. Whoever comes out on top after that will be the new prime minister.
The Tory leadership contest is already a crowded race, with 11 MPs officially joining the race.
A series of debates and hustings in parliament and around the country will give the candidates a chance to try to convince MPs and party members that they should be elected leader.
Two live televised Conservative leadership debates have also been announced, one to be aired by ITV at 7pm on Sunday, and the second by Sky News on Monday.