Theresa May is now the Prime Minister-in-waiting after Andrea Leadsom sensationally quit the Conservative leadership race.
Mrs Leadsom pulled out just 48 hours after the publication of a controversial interview in which she appeared to suggest she was better placed to lead because Mrs May does not have children.
Her allies rallied around and accused Conservative MPs of using under-hand techniques against her.
But the row escalated over the weekend.
In the Times interview Mrs Leadsom said: "Genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake."
She also said that the Home Secretary "possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next".
In a statement Mrs Leadsom said that a nine-week leadership campaign in the wake of the Brexit vote was "highly undesirable" and that the UK needed a new Prime Minister in place "as soon as possible".
Mrs Leadsom added that despite coming second and gaining a place in the run-off with Mrs May she felt she had not secured enough support in a vote among Tory MPs.
Mrs May’s campaign chief Chris Grayling paid tribute to Mrs Leadsom.
He said that she had shown “what a principled and decent politician she is (and)... how willing she is to put the interests of the country before her own”.
“Now is the time for us to unite as a party and get on with the job,” he added.
Mrs May will make a statement later today.
Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 committee, which is overseeing the leadership contest said there was no chance that it would be re-opened.
"None whatsoever," he said.
But he declined to say when Mrs May could be installed as Prime Minister.
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