How will Cameron's successor as Tory leader be chosen, and when?

[Ken Burch]

I realize Boris is the heavy favorite, but will they have a convention, a mail-in-vote system involving the entire party membership, or what?

Also, is there going to be anyone standing against Boris for the job?

[joshcryer]

1. The majority party's leader is chosen by the Queen (really).

Boris Johnson is currently the second most popular member of the Conservative party and is going to become the majority leader now that Cameron has stepped down.

[malaise]

2. The Queen's role is a mere formality

The party decides

[joshcryer]

3. Oh, no, there's no lawful reason for the PM to be selected by the party.

The Queen decides. The Queen, of course, has always picked the leader of the majority party. It's all rather archaic, but that's how it really works.

[Ken Burch]

5. What the queen actually does is take the recommendation of the departing prime minister

As a constitutional monarch, Elizabeth II doesn't actually get to act entirely on her own in this matter.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the monarch

In practice, of course that's the leader of the majority party, but the queen doesn't choose that leader.

[Recursion]

4. If he were leaving tomorrow, the Queen would pick Boris Johnson

Presumably he'll wait for a party ballot (should take a couple of months) and then the Queen will select the winner of that.