In an unexpected twist in the United Kingdom’s Conservative leadership contest, Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch have advanced to the final round, eliminating James Cleverly from the race.
The announcement, made in Parliament, caught many off guard, particularly given Cleverly’s strong performance at the party conference and his lead among MPs in the previous round.
During the fourth round of voting, Cleverly garnered 37 votes, while Badenoch secured 42 and Jenrick closely followed with 41.
The two finalists will now face the Conservative Party membership, with the results expected on 2 November.
Taking to social media, Cleverly expressed gratitude to his supporters, stating, “Sadly it wasn’t to be. We are all Conservatives, and it’s important the Conservative Party unites to take on this catastrophic Labour government.”
Both Jenrick and Badenoch commended Cleverly for his campaign and hinted at offering him roles in their prospective shadow cabinets should they win. Badenoch referred to Cleverly’s campaign as “full of energy, ideas and optimism,” expressing her eagerness to “continue to work with him.” Jenrick called the campaign “brilliantly” executed, adding: “The Conservative Party needs you in its top team in the years ahead.”
Speaking to the BBC, Jenrick expressed his satisfaction at reaching the final two, promising “professional, competent leadership” to help “regain the trust of the British public.” He emphasised the need for the party to focus on key issues such as the economy, the NHS, and immigration instead of “going down rabbit holes.”
Badenoch, thrilled to have topped the MPs’ poll, stated it was “time to go bold.” She insisted that the Conservatives must discuss everything, including the “broken” system. She remarked, “I think Labour are having problems because they are working with a broken system.”
Jenrick’s campaign has prominently featured leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, whereas Badenoch cautioned that an overemphasis on this issue could “shut down the conversation that we need to have with the entire country.”
Both candidates, seen as appealing to the party’s right flank, have contrasted with Cleverly, who is viewed as closer to the centre. Badenoch’s supporters appreciate her candid approach, while Jenrick is praised for his views on immigration and his resignation from his ministerial role.
After the results were announced, one senior MP commented, “It’s not a result I expected. There may have been a degree of complacency in one camp. I did warn colleagues that if they try to game the system, they need to be careful about possible problems. It seems Tom Tugendhat’s votes went to Robert and Kemi. It’s quite a surprising position.”
Another MP described the outcome as a “genuine shock,” noting that many pledges made by MPs likely exceeded 120. They added that it’s understandable since “our natural instinct is not to upset people.”
The ultimate victor of this contest will replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party, following his resignation after the party’s general election defeat earlier this year.
Since September, Conservative MPs have gradually narrowed the list of candidates through multiple rounds of voting. The first candidate to be eliminated was former home secretary Priti Patel, followed by shadow pensions secretary Mel Stride, and lastly, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat.
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