Home Secretary Sajid Javid has become the ninth MP to enter the Conservative leadership race after Theresa May announced her plan to resign last week.
Mr Javid, who has held a range of ministerial posts since his election as MP for Bromsgrove in 2010, said there was a need to "restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK".
The 49-year-old, who backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver, said: "First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit."
Mr Javid became the first home secretary from an ethnic minority background when he was appointed in April 2018.
The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he was a managing director at Deutsche Bank before being elected to Parliament.
Announcing his intention to stand in a message on Twitter, Mr Javid said: "I'm standing to be the next leader of @Conservatives & Prime Minister of our great country.
"We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK.
"First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit. Join @TeamSaj to help me do just that #TeamSaj."
I’m standing to be the next leader of @Conservatives & Prime Minister of our great country. We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK. First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit. Join @TeamSaj to help me do just that #TeamSaj pic.twitter.com/qfH1lLNusQ
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 27, 2019
A flurry of Tory big hitters have recently entered the race to be next Prime Minister as the battle for Downing Street showed signs of turning bitter.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and ex-Commons leader Andrea Leadsom were among the heavyweights to announce bids for the Tory crown.
As the race fired up, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart entered the competition by launching a strongly-worded attack on front-runner Boris Johnson.
Britain's environment minister Michael Gove also confirmed he will enter the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party following the resignation of Theresa May.
"I believe that I'm ready to unite the Conservative and Union Party, ready to deliver Brexit, and ready to lead this great country," he said.
Adding her name to the ticket, Esther McVey said there will be no further extensions and the UK will leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal.
She also insisted there will be no hard border on the island of Ireland if there is a no-deal Brexit.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock entered the race saying he was running for leader because the party needed to look to the future and attract younger voters.
He said he would take a different approach to try and get Commons support for a Brexit deal than the one Mrs May used.
Read more:
How does a Tory leadership contest work?
Sparks fly as more big names enter Tory leadership race
May to step down as Conservative Party leader
The new Tory leader looks set to take over as prime minister at the end of July after Mrs May finally laid out a timetable for her exit from Downing Street.
The timetable for the contest will see nominations close in the week of 10 June, with MPs involved in a series of votes to whittle down what is set to be a crowded field to a final two contenders.
Tory party members will then decide who wins the run-off.
