The field to replace Boris Johnson as the next Conservative party leader and prime minister narrowed on Tuesday evening as eight candidates qualified for the ballot ahead of the first round of voting on Wednesday.

Sajid Javid, the former health secretary, dropped out of a race characterised by anonymous briefings between rival camps, while home secretary Priti Patel decided not to run, avoiding further splits in the large field of rightwing candidates.

Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, is the bookmakers’ favourite to win, with William Hill giving him odds of 13/8, followed by Penny Mordaunt, junior trade minister, on 2/1 and foreign secretary Liz Truss on 7/2. A new poll by Opinium said Sunak was the preferred candidate for 28 per cent of Tory party members, followed by Truss on 20 per cent.