THE RACE to replace Theresa May became a little less crowded yesterday after two contenders admitting defeat.

Brexit Minister James Cleverly, who was only elected in 2015, admitted he was “highly unlikely” to progress much beyond the initial stage.

While backbencher Kit Malthouse, said he was a “realist” and that he had realised there was little appetite for a long drawn out contest.

Their decision to take their hats out of the ring came as the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers prepared to introduce new rules requiring candidates to have the support of at least eight MPs.

Cleverly had just three – including Colin Clark, the MP for Gordon – though Malthouse had six.

While there are still 11 candidates in the contest, under the new threshold rules that could fall to six, with Rory Stewart, Mark Harper, Esther McVey, Andrea Leadsom, and Sam Gyimah all struggling to get the numbers to to take part in the first ballot.

The closing date to enter will be next Monday with formal hustings taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday and the first round of voting on Thursday.

In that first ballot candidates will need to win at least 5% of votes, or 17 of the party’s 312 MPs.

Those who make it through to the second ballot will require 33 MPs or 10% of votes.

On Tuesday morning, Liam

Fox became the first cabinet member to support foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

The International Trade Secretary and staunch Brexiteer, told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme he would be backing his “friend” who is “an impressive Foreign Secretary, who is an entrepreneur by background, where deal-making is part of his DNA”.

He added: “I think he understands that we have to message to Europe that we will leave if we cannot get an appropriate deal, but will try to get a deal.

“I think he is also will be able to unite the Conservative Party. We are not a Leave-tribe and a Remain-tribe, we are a Conservative Party.”

Several other high-profile cabinet names have yet to say who they will be backing in the contest.

According to the Conservative Home website, Boris Johnson has the support of 42 Tory MPs, far more than Hunt, his nearest rival, who has 32.

Security Minister, Ben Wallace, who was Johnson’s campaign manager in 2016 refused to say if he’d be backing the former foreign secretary.

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Wallace told Today. “What we do need to do is make sure this race is about getting the right person to lead the country, but I’m not going to bang on about it.”

Amber Rudd, who has so far not declared for any candidate, held the first hustings of potential leadership candidates last night.

Johnson reportedly turned down a one-on-one meeting with Donald Trump to take part.

A source close to the old Etonian told ITV’s Robert Peston that the two men had had a 20 minute “friendly and productive” conversation on Monday evening.

The President waded into the leadership contest during his press conference yesterday endorsing Johnson and Hunt, before admitting that he didn’t know who Michael Gove was.

“I know Boris, I think he’d do a very good job.

“I know Jeremy, I think he’d do a very good job. I don’t know Michael.”

He then pointed at Hunt, who was sitting in the front row, and asked, “Jeremy – would Michael do a good job?” Hunt laughed.

Gove previously interviewed Trump for The Times.

Other contenders were less pleased with the President’s call for the NHS to be on the table during negotiations for a post Brexit UK-US trade deal.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock stressed “the NHS isn’t on the table” and “never will be” under him.

Dominic Raab said the NHS “is not for sale” and would not be if he was in Number 10.

Gyimah said the NHS “should not be used as a bargaining chip” in Brexit talks.