BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Tory leadership timeline

The three-month long Tory leadership race has been a marathon with many a twist and turn. Click on the links below to read about the key milestones along the way.

13 September - Duncan Smith elected Tory leader

Iain Duncan Smith wins the Tory party ballot, taking 61% of the vote to Ken Clarke's 39%.

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Ken Clarke and Iain Duncan Smith on Newsnight
The final two contestants rarely appeared together

8 September - Tory rivals coy on vote outcome

With just days to go before the final result, Ken Clarke and Iain Duncan Smith both shy away from predicting a winner when they address the final hustings meeting.

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7 September - Tories are unleadable - Kennedy

As the campaign draws to a close, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy predicts the Tory Party will be "unleadable" whichever candidate triumphs.

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2 September - Duncan Smith to rethink Section 28

Iain Duncan Smith causes a stir when he floats the idea of a rethink of his previous strong support for Section 28, which bans the "promotion" of homosexuality by local authorities.

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24 August - Tory expelled over BNP row

Tory activist Edgar Griffin is sacked as vice-chairman of Iain Duncan Smith's campaign after his close links with the extreme-right British National Party are revealed.

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Former prime ministers cast large shadows over the campaign

22 August - Angry Major backs Clarke

John Major comes out for Ken Clarke, delivering a stinging attack on the Thatcher legacy. On the same day the two candidates go head to head in their only joint televised debate.

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20 August - Tory leadership ballot begins

Ballot papers are sent out to the 318,000 Tory members - the first time in history they are allowed a role in choosing their party leader.

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18 August - Hague backs Duncan Smith Outgoing leader William Hague gives his backing to Iain Duncan Smith.

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Michael Portillo's early exit was predicted by few

17 July - Loser Portillo quits Tory frontline To the astonishment of the political world, Michael Portillo is knocked out of the race. He swiftly announces that he intends to leave frontline politics.

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26 June - Clarke enters Tory battle After weeks of speculation, Ken Clarke becomes the fifth and final MP to enter the contest.

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19 June - Right-wingers enter Tory fray Iain Duncan Smith and David Davis join the race, both seeking to carry the standard of the party's Thatcherite right. Michael Ancram joins the fray two days later.

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18 June - Bitter Widdecombe bows out Ann Widdecombe, having failed to match her support among grassroots members with backing from enough of her fellow MPs, announces she will not be seeking the leadership.

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13 June - Portillo kicks off leadership battle Michael Portillo, the man expected to inherit the crown, becomes the first contender to formally throw his hat into the ring. He tells a press conference: "I believe that unless the party makes major changes in its style and the issues, there is a danger that we will actually go further down in public respect."

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June 8 - Hague to step down As the day breaks after an election night of misery for the Tories, and having improved hisparty's parliamentary position by a mere single seat since 1997, William Hague quits as leader. "No man is more important than the party," he says.

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