THE leader of Worcestershire County Council has thrown his backing behind Theresa May - calling her the "statesmanlike" figure to sort out Brexit.

Councillor Simon Geraghty has told the Worcester News he feels the favourite to become next Prime Minister can offer "stable leadership".

He also says he wants to wait until there are only two contenders for next Tory Party leader before making his mind up, but that he will not look beyond Mrs May or Stephen Crabb.

There are five confirmed candidates to become next Conservative leader and therefore the new PM with Michael Gove, Energy minister Andrea Leadsom and Liam Fox making up the rest.

Councillor Geraghty said: "I feel the candidate with the best chance of offering stable, decisive leadership at a time of national uncertainty is Theresa May.

"She's got one of the toughest offices of state - the Home Office is notorious for ending political careers, but she is a shrewd operator and a statesmanlike figure.

"I can see her cutting it on the world stage and that's important for Britain."

He also said his only other favourite was Mr Crabb, not least because it would mean Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid becoming Chancellor - a boost for Worcestershire.

"I've got a lot of time for Sajid, he's gone past the rising star stage, he's a very solid politician and Stephen Crabb's narrative is one I could really buy into," he said.

"So those would be my two preferred choices - in the current set of circumstances if I had to choose today it would be Theresa May, but Stephen Crabb and Sajid would certainly be in that Government.

"I wouldn't be looking beyond those at any other characters."

Michael Gove today said his bid to become Prime Minister is driven by "conviction" about what is right for Britain.

The justice secretary said that when he concluded Boris Johnson was not the "right person", his "heart told him" that he should put himself forward.

It came after business minister Anna Soubry said Mr Gove had "behaved appallingly" in pledging his support for Boris Johnson and then withdrawing it at the last minute.

Mr Gove and the four other candidates will take part in a series of ballots of the party's 329 MPs, starting on on Tuesday.

The two most popular will then go on to a vote of the wider party membership, with the result due on 9 September.

MARK GARNIER BACKS MAY TOO

MICHAEL Gove has declared himself "the candidate for change" as he set out his pitch to become Conservative leader and Prime Minister today - despite another county MP going against his vision.

As the row over how to handle Brexit rumbled on, Mr Gove also insisted he'd end EU freedom of movement for Britain if he got into Downing Street.

It comes as another Worcestershire MP declared his allegiance to Theresa May in the contest, with the Wyre Forest's Mark Garnier confirming he had made his mind up.

During a press conference today, Mr Gove said the country needed someone "with the desire for change".

He said the referendum vote for Brexit meant the new Prime Minister must be someone who fought on the Leave side.

"I will ensure we honour the instructions the British people have given us," said the Justice Secretary.

"I argued for specific changes in the referendum campaign, I believe in them, I will deliver them.

"The promise to leave the European Union, end the supremacy of EU law and take back control of our democracy. With my leadership, it will be delivered.

"The promise to take back control of our borders. I will end free movement, introduce an Australian-style points-based system for immigration, and bring numbers down."

Mr Garnier's declaration for Mrs May has seen him join Worcester MP Robin Walker and West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin.