James Cleverly knocked out of Conservative leadership race

Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch have made it to the final stage of the Conservative leadership contest after eliminating James Cleverly.

The outcome, revealed in Parliament, surprised several MPs who had anticipated that Cleverly would make it to the final round, leading to audible gasps in the room.

The ex-home secretary gave a popular speech at the party conference last week and led the voting among MPs in the third round on Tuesday.

In the fourth round, he garnered 37 votes from his peers, placing him behind Badenoch, who had 42 votes, and Jenrick, who secured 41.

The last two contenders will now be presented to members of the Conservative Party, with the results expected on November 2nd.

In a social media post after the vote, Cleverly expressed his gratitude to his supporters, stating, "Unfortunately, it didn’t work out."

"We all share Conservative values, and it's crucial for the Conservative Party to come together in order to challenge this disastrous Labour government."

Conservative MP Andrew Bowie expressed his surprise at the outcome, noting that it was evident Badenoch had become "the preferred choice of the members."

"She isn't afraid to stand her ground, and she definitely knows how to make news," he remarked, adding, "We'll need someone with those qualities."

Danny Kruger, who backs Jenrick, stated that while Badenoch "could be an excellent leader, Rob would be a much better choice."

He mentioned to the BBC that Jenrick possessed the necessary "dedication and innovative concepts" to achieve success. He also pointed out that it would require his party "years to regain the public's trust" and couldn't simply rely on making headlines with a few flashy policies at the last minute.

In an interview with the BBC, a prominent member of Parliament stated, "This outcome took me by surprise."

One group might have been a bit too relaxed. I did caution my teammates that if they attempt to manipulate the system, they should be aware of potential issues that could arise.

"It appears that Tom Tugendhat's supporters shifted their votes to Robert and Kemi. This situation is rather unexpected."

The person who ultimately triumphs in the competition will take over from Rishi Sunak as the head of the Conservative Party.

Sunak declared that he would step down following the party's loss in the general election earlier this year.

Since September, Conservative Members of Parliament have been narrowing down the list of candidates through a series of votes.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel was the first to get eliminated, followed by Shadow Pensions Secretary Mel Stride and then Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat.