<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Rishi Sunak is close to reaching the 100 MP nominations needed to enter the race to be the next Conservative leader and prime minister.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ex-chancellor has 93 endorsements from Tory MPs so far, though a campaign source said he had already reached 100.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Former leader Boris Johnson, second with 44 backers, is poised to enter the contest to succeed Liz Truss and is flying back from a Caribbean holiday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Penny Mordaunt was the first to declare, counting 21 supporters so far.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Trade Minister Sir James Duddridge, who is backing Mr Johnson, told BBC News: "He is coming home and is up for it."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Neither Mr Sunak nor Mr Johnson have officially launched their campaigns, but this has not stopped backers declaring their support.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Johnson is on a flight back from a holiday in the Dominican Republic, and is due to arrive in London on Saturday morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A BBC reporter on the flight says some passengers who tried to take selfies were stopped from doing so by his sizeable security team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">MPs will be waiting to see if he makes a statement when he lands. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">bnbd24/kh</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div>