Conservative Party MPs have shifted towards the right, eliminating centrist candidate James Cleverly from the competition to replace Rishi Sunak. The former Home Secretary was ousted from the race on Wednesday, leaving Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch to contend in a vote by the party membership in November. Cleverly had surged to the top spot in yesterday’s ballot, garnering support from 39 MPs. However, in today’s voting, he lost two votes, bringing his total to 37. Badenoch secured 42 votes, with Jenrick closely behind at 41. Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister and favoured by the One Nation group of Tory MPs, was eliminated on Tuesday after receiving 20 votes.
The final two candidates will now go through an online ballot of Conservative members from 10th to 31st October, with the winner being announced on 2nd November. Following Tuesday’s ballot, Badenoch and Jenrick were separated by just one vote with 30 and 31 votes respectively. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story.
This development indicates a significant shift to the right within the Tory Party, as Cleverly’s elimination reshapes the dynamics of the leadership contest. The final showdown between Jenrick and Badenoch promises to be a closely watched event, with implications for the future direction and policies of the party. More on this to follow as the race intensifies.
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