penny mordaunt has less than an hour now to make that 100 threshold. her team say this lunchtime that it s going down to the wire and it s extremely close. we ll bring you that announcement at 2 o clock live in our specially extended coverage programme this afternoon. also this lunchtime. western allies denounce a russian claim that ukraine could use a dirty bomb there are fears the kremlin might use it as a pretext to escalate the war. phosphate pollution of rivers threatens the building of tens of thousands of new homes. and he s back in the tardis david tennant travels through time once again to return as dr who. and stay with us here on the bbc news channel 4 continuing coverage and analysis from our team of correspondents in the uk and around the world. good afternoon. within the next hour or so, we could know who is britain s next prime minister. at two o clock, norminations close in the conservative party leadership race. rishi sunak has a commanding lead, with 192
rishi sunak left his campaign headquarters this morning as the favourite to be the next prime minister. by mid morning, more than half of conservative mps were backing him and his pitch to fix the economy, unite the party and deliver for the country. mil economy, unite the party and deliver for the country- for the country. all of his arguments for the country. all of his arguments have - for the country. all of his arguments have been - for the country. all of his - arguments have been proven to be absolutely correct and i think he would run a very tight ship and a very good administration and actually a bit calmer, which i think is what the people of this country and my constituency here asking for. last night, borisjohnson announced that he would not run in the contest. a number of his supporters, including the cabinet ministers nadhim zahawi and james cleverley have now swung in behind rishi sunak in a call for unity but all. in a call for unity but all. we ve not a in a call f