CONSERVATIVE leadership favourite Theresa May has called for MPs to be given a vote on the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent before Parliament breaks for the summer.

With Labour in disarray on the issue, she said the Government should "get on" with the job of building a new submarine fleet.

Mrs May goes into the first round of voting with a clear lead among MPs but the contest will be decided by grassroots members throughout the country.

She is joined on the ballot paper by Mrs Leadsom, Mr Gove, Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb and former defence secretary Liam Fox.

The candidate who finishes last will be eliminated and others may choose to drop out if they feel they have no realistic chance.

Further votes of MPs will be held - with the next due on Thursday - until the candidates are whittled down to a shortlist of two who will go forward into the final postal ballot of the entire party membership.