Tom Tugendhat has been eliminated from the Tory leadership contest, while James Cleverly’s campaign has received a significant boost, as reported by The Independent. The latest development in the leadership race saw Cleverly gain significant traction, securing the backing of the most Conservative MPs following an impressive performance at the party conference.
In the third round ballot of Tory MPs, Cleverly emerged on top with 39 votes in total, shaking up the competition to succeed Rishi Sunak. Robert Jenrick came in second with 31 votes, followed by Kemi Badenoch in third place with 30 votes. Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister and popular figure amongst the One Nation caucus of Tory MPs, was unable to garner enough support and was eliminated with just 20 votes.
The next phase of the contest will see Jenrick and Badenoch battle it out for a spot in the final round, with the decision to be made by Tory members starting from Friday. The final two contenders will be determined by a forthcoming ballot of MPs on Wednesday, leading up to an online vote by Tory members scheduled from October 10 to 31. The announcement of the contest winner is set to take place on November 2.
The leadership candidates fiercely competed at the party’s annual conference in Birmingham to win over MPs and members. The evolving dynamics of the race have kept political observers and party members engaged, as the competition intensifies leading up to the final decision.
Stay updated with the latest developments in the Tory leadership contest as the momentum continues to build towards the selection of the next leader of the Conservative Party.