North East MPs have started to reveal who they want to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and the next Prime Minister.

Eleven Tory MPs have put themselves forward to be the leader of the party after Boris Johnson was forced to resign last week.

A leadership contest is now underway to find Johnson’s replacement and North East Tory MPs have started to back their favourites for the job.

Read more: Ben Houchen urges next leader to level up the North East

Richmond MP and former chancellor Rishi Sunak is the only MP from the region to come out and stand himself to be leader.

Here’s the full list of who the region’s Tory MPs are backing to be the next leader:

Anne-Marie Trevelyan– Berwick upon Tweed

The Secretary of State for International Trade and Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan has come out backing outsider Tom Tugendhat to be the next leader of the Tory party.

Tugendhat is the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and served in the British Army in Iraq.

Ian Levy – Blyth Valley

Ian Levy is said to be backing Home Secretary Priti Patel to be the next Conservative Party leader, according to the website Conservative Home.

Patel is yet to officially launch her leadership campaign bid but is expected to throw her hat into the ring in the coming days.

Levy has been a firm supporter of Boris Johnson and said in a statement over the weekend that he was “sad at the loss” of the PM who he called “a friend of Blyth Valley”.

Guy Opperman – Hexham

Hexham MP Guy Opperman is yet to announce who he is supporting to be the next leader.

Read more: Treasury provides update on Darlington Economic Campus

Richard Holden - Durham North West

Holden has not yet thrown his support behind any of the candidates.

Dehenna Davison – Bishop Auckland

Davison used an appearance on BBC’s Question Time last week to back current Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to be the next Prime Minister and Tory leader.

She told the programme: “It has got to be someone with a proper vision that’s going to carry this country forward, that’s going to make Great Britain a great place that the world really relish and look up to. [Someone] who’s going to have a proper vison, that’s going to inspire this country to want to do better and to move forward.

“For me the person with that vision, with a good economic vision, but also with a track record of delivering in government is Liz Truss, so if she stands she will be getting my support.”

Paul Howell – Sedgefield

Sedgefield MP Paul Howell has, so far, been tight-lipped online about who he is supporting to be leader.

Peter Gibson – Darlington

Darlington MP Peter Gibson has backed former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to be the next leader, saying that Sunak has been a “tireless champion” for the region.

In a statement on Twitter Gibson said: “Rishi has been a tireless champion for our levelling up agenda in Darlington and Teesside and took the brave and bold decision to site the Northern Economic Campus in Darlington.

Read more: Leadership race means ‘two weeks to save net zero’, Tory MPs warn

“He is energetic, entrepreneurial and a man of integrity. A man we can trust, and as Darlington’s neighbouring MP, I’m backing Rishi.”

Matt Vickers - Stockton South

Vickers, who was a strong supporter of Boris Johnson, is also yet to announce who he is backing to be the next PM.

Jacob Young – Redcar

Redcar MP Jacob Young has also backed Richmond MP Rishi Sunak to be the next Tory leader saying: “I’m backing Rishi because time after time he has backed Teesside.

“Rishi has the energy and vision to beat Labour in places like Redcar, and I trust him to deliver for us with jobs, opportunities and a brighter future.”

Read more: Runners and riders – the full list of Tories fighting to replace Johnson as PM

Simon Clarke - Middlesbrough South & Cleveland East

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke has thrown his support behind leadership-hopeful Liz Truss, who only officially launched her campaign on Sunday (July 10) evening.

The Northern Echo has contacted the region’s Conservative MPs who are yet to announce who they are supporting to clarify their position.

--

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054