West Dorset MP Chris Loder says he is "taking time" to decide who he will support to become the next Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson has stood down as leader of the Conservative party, but will remain in post as Prime Minister until the autumn, in order to find a replacement.

Conservative MPs are putting their names forward in the race to succeed Boris Johnson, with Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt as joint favourites, according to betting odds. Those putting themselves forward will have to secure the backing of 20 Tory MPs. A series of votes will be held until two candidates remain when there will be a ballot of the wider Conservative party membership to select the winner.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of the party's backbench MPs, has confirmed the new Prime Minister is expected to be announced by September 5.

Mr Loder said: "I am taking time to discern the strengths of each candidate to become the next leader of the Conservative party, and subsequently Prime Minister.

"I will be considering in great depth the qualities of each candidate for us at home in West Dorset and the whole of the United Kingdom."