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Brexit conundrum, Boris Johnson closer, another vote on Wednesday, the lowest tally gets eliminated

The five candidates still running, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Rory Stewart and Sajid Javid

The five contenders left in the race to replace Theresa May as Britain's prime minister will face off in a third-round ballot on Wednesday of the 313 Conservative MPs. The one with the lowest tally will get eliminated ahead of more votes on Thursday.

The campaign is being fought over their Brexit positions. Here are the last five standing after Tuesday's second-round ballot.

Boris Johnson

Second round votes: 126. The former foreign secretary, who turns 55 on Wednesday, says he would get Britain out of the EU “deal or no deal” when the Oct 31 deadline set by EU leaders comes around.

But he has also said a no-deal Brexit would be “a last resort, not something that anybody desires”.

He has threatened to withhold the country's Brexit bill if the EU does not offer improved withdrawal terms, and to scrap a controversial provision for the Irish border contained in the current divorce deal - both of which would be unacceptable to Brussels.

Charismatic and popular with grassroots Conservatives, he swept the first round and won the backing of the most number of eliminated candidates, including Matt Hancock, Esther McVey and Andrea Leadsom.

Jeremy Hunt

Second round votes: 46. The current foreign secretary supported remaining in the EU but has switched since then.

The former businessman is a resilient politician, having headed the National Health Service for six years during a funding crisis. The 52-year-old says he will push hard for a new deal with Brussels, but is prepared to leave without a deal if no new offer is forthcoming.

He has long been viewed as one of the favourites to join Johnson in the final two, when grassroots Conservative members pick their party's new leader.

Michael Gove

Second round votes: 41. The cerebral 51-year-old is among the most ardent Euro skeptics left in May's government but is seen as a possible unifying figure between the two wings of the party.

Once considered the second favorite, his campaign got off to a rocky start when he admitted using cocaine two decades ago. Gove has signaled he could be open to delaying Brexit again rather than leave without a deal on Oct 31.

If he makes the final two, a Johnson versus Gove clash could be mouthwatering. Gove backed Johnson in the 2016 leadership contest, but then politically knifed him to run himself.

Rory Stewart

Second round votes: 37. The international development secretary, 46, is a former Foreign Office official who served in the coalition administration in Iraq following the US-led invasion in 2003. He says a no-deal would be “damaging”.

Initially a rank outsider, his social media-driven campaign has garnered momentum as the most opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

However, the people he needs to win over are not non-Conservatives on Twitter but the 50 MPs who voted Thursday for candidates who have dropped out.

Sajid David

Second round votes: 33. A former investment banker and the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, Javid, 49, wants to be the face of a modern, multi-cultural and meritocratic Britain.

An economic liberal, Javid voted for Britain to stay in the EU in 2016 but has since become an advocate of Brexit. He wants to leave on Oct 31, preferably with a deal but would prefer no deal over no Brexit. He has the notable endorsement of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.