Theresa May has taken pole position in the race for the Conservative leadership as the party's MPs held their first round of voting.

The home secretary secured the backing of 165 Conservative MPs in the first round of voting on Tuesday evening.

Former defence secretary Liam Fox was eliminated from the contest after winning the support of just 16 MPs. He later announced he would back May.

Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb, who had 34 votes, dropped out out of the race on Tuesday night and also gave his backing to frontrunner Theresa May.

May's tally amounted to exactly half of the 330 Conservative MPs but was a majority of the 329 voting, guaranteeing her a place in the final run-off ballot of Conservative members unless she loses supporters to one of her rivals over the next few days.

Now attention turns to the battle for the second place on the ballot paper, with leading Brexit backer Andrea Leadsom taking 66 votes and Eurosceptic justice secretary Michael Gove on 48.

The three remaining contenders are due to face a second MPs' vote on Thursday, followed by a final round next Tuesday unless any of the candidates has dropped out by that time.

May said she was "pleased" by the result and "very grateful" to her colleagues,

She added: "There is a big job before us: to unite our party and the country, to negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU, and to make Britain work for everyone."

Dr Fox said the timing and circumstances of the election meant Mrs May was the best placed candidate.

Speaking outside Parliament, he said: "We have nine weeks before the candidate who is successful becomes prime minister.

"It is essential that they have an understanding at the top levels of government and of international affairs and how the process in Whitehall operates.

"And for that reason I've decided to give my support to Theresa May - I intend to work closely with her, to campaign for her, and I'm sure she will be a very fine prime minister of this country."

Mr Gove stressed the need for a prime minister who campaigned for Brexit, unlike Mrs May, and said he would stay in the race.

He said: "Now that Britain has voted to leave, I think the country deserves to have a leader who believes in Britain outside the European Union and who also has experience at the highest level of government.

"I hope that in the days to come, I'll be able to convince my colleagues that I should be one of the candidates that Conservative party members can choose from. I think they should have a choice between two candidates of experience, two candidates who have delivered in government departments."