Five of the six men vying for Theresa May’s job in the Tory leadership challenge will spend 90 minutes debating live on television and answering audience questions on Sunday evening.
Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart are getting stuck into the debate, hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
There’s one poignant empty podium on the stage: frontrunner Boris Johnson decided not to take place on the debate.
Explaining his decision not to attend, he told the BBC: “My own observation is that in the past when you’ve had loads of candidates, it can be slightly cacophonous and I think the public have had quite a lot of blue on blue action frankly over the last three years.”
As promised, Channel 4 ‘empty-chaired’ him, and said he was still welcome to come down to the studio if he changes his mind.
So who are those who did show up? Here’s a quick look:
MICHAEL GOVE
Tory leadership debate: Michael Gove (Image: Getty)
Age: 51
Education: Robert Gordon’s College and Oxford
Personal life: Married with two children
Job before politics: Journalist
Today: Gove was one of the highest-profile Brexit campaigners during the 2016 referendum. Now seen as one of the most effective members of Cabinet in bringing forward new policies, the environment secretary had become a surprise ally to Mrs May and has backed her Brexit strategy.
Votes in first ballot of Tory MPs: 37
JEREMY HUNTTory leadership debate: Jeremy Hunt (Image: Getty)
Age: 52
Education: Charterhouse and Oxford
Personal life: Married with three children
Job before politics: Various
Today: Hunt replaced Boris Johnson as foreign secretary in July and has urged the Conservative
