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Jeremy Hunt has confirmed he is running for Tory leader just a few hours after Theresa May said she'll quit.

The Foreign Secretary shamelessly announced his candidacy, barely giving the PM enough time to get lunch.

His local newspaper, the Farnham Herald, reported he told a local festival it was “only right that my party constituency should be the first to know”.

Mr Hunt was already one of the frontrunners to be Tory leader, behind Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab.

He joins three other candidates who've firmly declared - Mr Johnson, Esther McVey and Remainer Rory Stewart.

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Despite voting Remain in 2016 Mr Hunt has tried to appeal to hard-right Tory members, comparing the EU to the Soviet Union in October.

He also said Britain should not be afraid of a No Deal Brexit, claiming it was better than no Brexit at all.

More recently he pointedly called for more defence spending - a usual hit with the Tory grassroots.

The 52-year-old became Foreign Secretary last July following the resignation of Boris Johnson.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

As Health Secretary, Mr Hunt fought a long battle with the medical profession over a new contract for doctors' working conditions.

He was accused of using misleading statistics to justify the introduction of a new seven-day contract, which critics said would lead to staff shortages and danger for patients.

He chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest and instead gave his full support to Mrs May, saying it was "not the right time" to put his hat in the ring.