Dartford MP Gareth Johnson has become the latest Kent MP to back Home Secretary Theresa May in the Conservative leadership contest.

The second round which will decide the final two takes place later today.

Mr Johnson's endorsement brings to 13 the number of county MPs supporting the Home Secretary. The Dartford MP had initially declared his support for Boris Johnson.

MPs will vote in the second round of the contest later today to decide which two candidates should be shortlisted to go through to contest the candidacy.

Three more Kent MPs yesterday joined the eight that were already backing Mrs May. The Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat and Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clarke have now endorsed her candidacy, as has Dover MP Charlie Elphicke.

Mr Tugendhat said:

"I am confident that she is the best candidate to guide our nation on the path we decided to take at the referendum. She is committed to delivering a strong, independent Britain with excellent links to our European friends and the rest of the world. She will provide the leadership our nation needs and, I am sure, reassure those who invest in our economy that the UK is very much open for business."

He added that he had secured assurances that any decision on aviation capacity for the south east would be made by the whole cabinet.

Mr Clark said: "I will be supporting Theresa May because I believe that she will provide the strong leadership and unity that our country now needs."

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has signalled his support, too.

He said: "She has been a great friend to Dover for many years and she is the person who can deliver stability, security and a great future for our nation as we leave the EU and begin to write the next chapter of our island story."

Mrs May topped the first round poll with 165 votes, followed by Andrea Leadsom, with 68 votes, then Michael Gove with 48 votes and Stephan Crabb with 34.

A second round takes place on Thursday when the MPs will vote to decide who should be on the final shortlist of two.

Kent MPs - who they are backing:

Theresa May:

Gareth Johnson (Dartford); Damian Green (Ashford); Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet); Kelly Tolhurst (Rochester and Strood); Rehman Chishti (Gillingham); Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford); Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks); Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe); Helen Grant (Maidstone and Weald): Helen Whatley (Faversham and Mid Kent). Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells); Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling); Charlie Elphicke (Dover).

Andrea Leadsom:

Julian Brazier (Canterbury); Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey).