Five contenders in the leadership race of the UK's ruling Conservative Party have made it through the second round of the contest, with former finance minister Rishi Sunak securing the most votes.

The party began the race after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier this month that he would resign as the party's leader. He is expected to stay on as prime minister until his successor is picked.

The second round of the contest took place on Thursday, with the party's lower house members eligible to vote.

Sunak came in first with 101 votes after finishing in top place in the first round.

Junior trade minister Penny Mordaunt came in second with 83 votes, followed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with 64.

Former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch earned 49 votes, while the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat garnered 32.

Attorney General Suella Braverman won the fewest votes, 27, and was eliminated.

The third round of the contest will be held on Monday. The candidate with the fewest votes will be dropped. More rounds will continue until the field is narrowed down to the final two, probably by the middle of next week.

The new Conservative leader will be elected from those two by the party's members across the country, and announced on September 5.