Cleverly ahead in Tory leadership race, as Tugendhat voted out

Picture credit, PA Media

Tom Tugendhat has become the most recent Conservative MP to be eliminated from the competition for leadership.

Tom Tugendhat has been eliminated from the race for Conservative leader, which means there are now three candidates left to compete in another voting round among MPs on Wednesday.

James Cleverly surged ahead with 39 votes, moving up from third place in the previous ballot, thanks to what many considered a solid showing at last week's Conservative Party conference.

The previous immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, finished in second place with a total of 31 votes, which is a decrease of two votes compared to the last round. Kemi Badenoch followed closely behind in third place with 30 votes, gaining two votes since the previous vote. Tugendhat garnered 20 votes.

The candidates can't take a break because tomorrow the MPs will choose the final two contenders. These two will then face a vote by the party members over the next three weeks.

The new leader is set to be revealed on November 2nd.

In a post on social media following the results, Tugendhat expressed his gratitude to his supporters.

"Your enthusiasm, thoughts, and backing have revealed the potential of what our party can achieve," he stated.

"While our campaign has concluded, our dedication to our nation remains unwavering."

As Badenoch and Jenrick compete closely, the focus has now turned to gaining the backing of Tugendhat's followers.

Cleverly is only one vote away from securing his spot in the final two candidates, having received nearly a third of the 121 Conservative MPs who are still in the race.

Both Cleverly and Badenoch saw their vote counts rise following a series of speeches and interviews at the Conservative Party conference held last week.

The last three candidates took to social media to express their gratitude to their supporters.

Even with the increase in votes, Cleverly communicated to his supporters in a social media update that "there's still work to be done."

"I'm thrilled to continue sharing our uplifting conservative message," he said.

Badenoch expressed her sympathy to Tugendhat before highlighting her growing support. She stated, "I’m happy to see more backing and thankful to all my colleagues who cast their votes for me."

Jenrick expressed his deep appreciation for the backing he's received from fellow party members once again.

He also expressed his gratitude to Tugendhat, an outsider, who he stated "represented the finest qualities of our party."

Photo credit: PA Media

One of the candidates—Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, or James Cleverly—will be eliminated from the leadership race on Wednesday.

Messages from the opposing side indicate that Jenrick and Badenoch are competing for backing from the party's right faction as they strive to secure a spot in the final two candidates. Meanwhile, Cleverly seems poised to advance to the last round as the representative for the "One Nation" group.

A representative for Badenoch's campaign commented: “There are still three candidates in the running; two of them are picking up votes, while one is losing ground and support.”

"The Conservative Party's right wing must now rally behind Kemi, who has the ability to bring the party together, has the charisma to stand out in opposition, and is clearly the preferred candidate among the members for leadership."

A representative for Jenrick's campaign stated, "Robert is now well-positioned to reach the final two."

"The spokesperson mentioned that MPs are looking for dedication and skill," highlighting that Jenrick had garnered backing from various factions within the party.

The winner of the leadership contest will take over from Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, who stepped down from his role as party leader after the Conservatives experienced their worst results in a general election last July.

Priti Patel, the former home secretary, was eliminated in the initial round of voting among Conservative MPs in September. A week later, Mel Stride, the shadow pensions secretary, faced a similar fate.

In the days leading up to the announcement of the results, there was a surge of support for the candidates vying for leadership.

Cleverly gained some momentum on Monday after receiving support from former leadership contender Stride, who secured 16 votes in the previous round. Overall, Cleverly increased his total by 18 votes compared to the last round.

Hamble Valley MP Paul Holmes resigned from his position as a Conservative whip to openly back Cleverly on Tuesday.

Badenoch has gained support from David Davis, a former cabinet minister, as well as from Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida.

According to the BBC, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not participate in the leadership election and has no intention of backing any candidate.

During the recent party conference, the last four candidates delivered important speeches outlining their plans for reforming the party following its significant loss in this year's general election.

Cleverly suggested that the Conservative Party should strive to be "more down-to-earth" in order to regain the support of voters who switched to Reform UK.

Jenrick advocated for a "fresh Conservative Party" and pledged to implement a "genuine halt to net migration." Meanwhile, Badenoch expressed her intention to "redefine the British government" according to "revitalized Conservative values."

Every candidate also criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer, asserting that their party has the potential to succeed in the upcoming general election under their guidance, but only if it shifts its current course.