Ten candidates were nominated in the contest to succeed Theresa May as Conservative Party leader and prime minister, the party's 1922 Committee said on Monday.

The candidates include frontrunner former foreign minister Boris Johnson, his successor Jeremy Hunt, environment minister Michael Gove, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab, health minister Matt Hancock and interior minister Sajid Javid.

The other candidates are international development minister Rory Stewart, former minister Esther McVey, former leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom and Conservative lawmaker Mark Harper.

The first round of voting among Conservative lawmakers to begin whittling down the field to two candidates, who will then be put to a vote of party members, will take place on Thursday.