First Tory leader poll result due

Michael Portillo: Rough ride before the polls opened

Conservative MPs have finished voting in the first round of the leadership contest to replace William Hague.

A result is expected in the next few minutes confirming the name of the first of the five candidates to be eliminated from the race.

MPs' ballot

Lasted four hours in committee room 14

Ballot paper listed five contenders in alphabetical order

After choosing with a cross, MPs put their vote in a sealed black box

Process overseen by three scrutineers in the room and three tellers outside

First voter: Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham

First candidate to vote: Michael Ancram

Either former party chairman Michael Ancram or backbencher David Davis are expected to fall at the first hurdle with Michael Portillo likely to emerge as the frontrunner.

In the hours before the poll opened in a House of Commons committee room, frontrunner Mr Portillo endured a rocky Tuesday morning.

First he was forced to reject claims of financial impropriety over failing to declare donations to his constituency party while a member of John Major's cabinet.

Then he had to row back on quotes made in the course of a newspaper interview which suggested he now backed the legalisation of cannabis.

Elimination looms

When Iain Duncan Smith, one of the five candidates, turned up to vote, the shadow defence secretary joked: "I haven't made my mind up."

Mr Duncan Smith is vying with Ken Clarke for second place in this first stage of the race, decided by the parliamentary party.

Further knock-out ballots this week and next take place until two names remain, which will then be put to the wider party membership.

Their choice will be announced on 12 September.

Guardian charges

Revelations of more than £20,000 paid to Mr Portillo's former local Conservative association in return for private briefings and speeches were published in the Guardian newspaper.

Mr Portillo rejected as a "smear" claims that he behaved improperly by not entering the donations in the Commons register of members' interests.

He insisted there had been no need to declare them as they went not to him but to his local party.

'Nothing improper'

"There is no truth that I have taken any money whatsoever," he told the BBC.

Ken Clarke: Dismissed claims involving his rival

"I, like most Conservative MPs, have raised money for my party and my constituency association and I have done nothing improper."

And Mr Portillo had to damp down further controversy when London's Evening Standard newspaper claimed he had spoken out in favour of legalising cannabis.

It quoted him as saying: "I think a strong enough case has been made for legalisation on the basis that marijuana is a drug that can be compared with alcohol and tobacco - and on the basis that kids are buying these things, and buying them from people who are involved in a very dangerous drugs trade, simultaneously."

Quotes 'out of context'

The newspaper said Mr Portillo added that he would "propose that the party sit down, take evidence and reach a conclusion".

The Portillo camp did not deny he had said the words but Francis Maude, his campaign manager, insisted the remarks had been taken "badly out of context".

"Michael said, as he has repeatedly, that a strong enough case has been made on the legalisation of cannabis for this to be properly considered and debated by the party," said Mr Maude.

"Michael has repeatedly made clear in public and elsewhere that he is not convinced."