The race to succeed Theresa May is under way in earnest after the prime minister bowed to pressure to quit before the summer and Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson declared his intention to replace her.

Ms May fended off demands for the immediate announcement of a date for her departure at a meeting of Tory grandees in Westminster.

But 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady left no doubt she had only weeks left in office, announcing that they will meet again in the first week of June to agree on a timetable for the election of her successor.

Sir Graham said the meeting would take place whether or not the PM secured parliamentary support for her Brexit deal at the fourth attempt.

The PM’s EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) is due before the Commons in the week of June 3. And her chances of finally seizing a Brexit deal to provide her legacy appeared to be receding.

Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA

Labour’s Keir Starmer told the Commons the party would oppose the bill unless a compromise agreement was reached – scotching earlier suggestions MPs might be whipped to abstain.

Mr Johnson confirmed his intention to stand for the leadership at a private event in Manchester, declaring that he had a “boundless appetite to try to get it right”.

In an on-stage interview with broadcaster Huw Edwards, he said: “I’m going to go for it. Of course I’m going to go for it. I don’t think that is any particular secret to anybody. But you know there is no vacancy at present.”

Although the former foreign secretary’s ambitions are the worst-kept secret in Westminster, his declaration pumped fire into a succession race which has so far seen only relative outsiders Andrea Leadsom, Rory Stewart and Esther McVey throw their hats into the ring.

Mr Johnson is a nailed-on favourite among grassroots Tories, but must first win the backing of MPs to get onto the shortlist of two candidates whose names will be on the ballot paper.

As the leader of the Leave campaign in 2016 who quit the cabinet last year over Ms May’s plans, he is likely to be fighting with former minister Dominic Raab for the votes of “clean Brexit” Tories.

In a swipe at Ms May’s handling of the EU withdrawal, he told his audience of insurance brokers that there had been “a real lack of grip and dynamism in the way we’ve approached these talks… We’ve failed over the past three years to put forward a convincing narrative about how we exploit the opportunities of Brexit.”

The executive of the 1922 Committee last month voted by the narrow margin of 9-7 to turn down calls for an MPs’ vote of no confidence in the prime minister to be brought forward to June 12.

When she met them for 90 minutes in her Commons office, the threat was implicit that this vote could be reversed if she refused to give ground on a departure date.

In a statement shortly afterwards, Sir Graham said the PM was determined to win the second reading Commons vote on WAB in the week of June 3, paving the way for the UK to leave the European Union by the summer.

“We have agreed that she and I will meet following the second reading of the bill to agree a timetable for the election of a new leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party,” he said.

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He later said the meeting would take place as soon as the second reading had occurred and will happen “regardless of ... whether it passes or whether it fails”.

A No 10 source acknowledged that if the bill was defeated, the pressure for Mrs May to go immediately would inevitably ratchet up.

“She would have to say ‘This is how I envisage the timetable for a leadership election happening and there would have to be some sort of agreement about that’,” the source said.

The outcome of the crunch meeting was greeted with scorn by Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who said it was “gutless, useless and exactly what I expected”.