Candidates of UK PM race (from left to right and top to bottom) former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and Former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. (Photo: VNA)

Sunak, 42, won 115 votes in the third round, which left only four candidates in the race. Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt is holding on to second place with 82 votes, followed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with 71 votes, and former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch with 58 votes.

The fourth round of voting will take place on Tuesday, at the end of which the candidate with the fewest votes will again be eliminated. By Thursday there will remain just two candidates. The winner of that ballot will become the new Tory leader and take over from Boris Johnson as the new British Prime Minister on or before September 5.