Who will be the next Tory leader? The Tory frontrunners from Braveman to Badenoch
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The Conservative party is now dealing with a leadership race following a terrible outcome in the election, where Labour emerged victorious by a large margin.
However, the party has seen a number of high-ranking members withdraw from running for election, including former cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps.
In this section, we will examine the few competitors that are still in the race.
The feisty ex-business secretary, known for being in many intense conflicts, is considered a top competitor. She performed well when she ran for the leadership in 2022.
Once considered a favorite of the Conservative right, she fell out of favor when she decided not to follow through on her promise to reduce EU regulations. She hinted that she could still enter the leadership race by saying, "we will discuss leadership matters after the election".
The ex-home secretary is viewed as a unifier between the conservative party's right-wing faction and the more moderate 'One Nation' members. She also has support among rank-and-file Tories and has managed to maintain good relationships with other MPs, unlike Suella Braverman.
According to the current rules, the small group of MPs left in the party will choose which candidates for leadership will move on to the final two. Over 100,000 local party members will then vote to decide on the winner.
Ms Patel is also a close supporter of Boris Johnson, and she was honored with the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in his resignation honors.
A previous cabinet member, who once served as the home secretary, made headlines when she abruptly left Rishi Sunak's cabinet. She voiced her concerns that his Rwanda proposal would not succeed and that he was steering the party towards electoral failure.
However, her more aggressive criticisms of her own party are perceived as boosting the success of her rivals, such as Ms. Patel.
Once a strong supporter of Mr. Sunak, he has now strongly criticized his former ally's immigration policies in the past few months. However, there are concerns among some Conservative lawmakers from both sides of the party about his sudden change of stance on the matter.
He had to reject the idea that he was kicking off his campaign when he expressed his views in an article claiming that the Conservative party is the best fit for Reform voters. He also mentioned the importance of having former Prime Minister Mr. Johnson remain connected to the Tories, even in Parliament if he desires to do so.
The supporters of the ex-home secretary recently indicated that he was not interested in joining the competition to take over from Mr. Sunak. However, that was before his party faced a damaging loss.
Once he secured his position, he cautioned that providing oversimplified answers to difficult and intricate issues is not honorable.
He advised his colleagues to pay close attention to the message from voters. "I won't make any hasty decisions," he explained. "I believe it's important to take the time to carefully consider what voters are saying. It's evident that many voters are disenchanted with the usual government parties based on their vote share."
The former chancellor has already said he won't run for the top position. However, he may face strong pressure from the moderate side of the party to run in order to stop the party from moving too far to the conservative side.
He will also be perceived as a veteran in the party, which is experiencing significant changes after being out of power for 14 years. In his victory speech, he described the national outcome as a tough situation for the Conservative Party.
He mentioned that he left a message for his children, who were hopefully asleep, urging them not to be upset and mentioning the conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized that even though leaving Downing Street may seem difficult for their family, they are fortunate to live in a country where decisions are made through peaceful means like voting, not through violence. He acknowledged the bravery of Ukrainians fighting for their rights and highlighted the importance of democracy. So, he encouraged his children not to feel sad, as this is the beauty of democracy.
A prominent member of the 'One Nation' Tories, security minister Tom Tugendhat, ran for the leadership two years ago but was not successful.
However, many now see him as more influential and experienced, especially after holding a position in the cabinet. This demonstrates his capabilities as a strong and capable leader who can navigate his party through challenging situations.
Another prominent figure highlighted by moderate Conservatives within their faction is the former health secretary. Up until recently, he held the highest cabinet position among their ranks.
She was recognized as a potential future leader even before being chosen by former Conservative leader and Prime Minister John Major.
Certain members of the party may consider bringing in the "silent man" during difficult times. However, based on past experiences, he will be viewed as an outsider in any upcoming competition.
The ex-Labour leader, commonly referred to as IDS, was predicted to not win his seat. However, a dispute about the Labour candidate caused an independent candidate to enter the race, dividing the votes and securing IDS another term in parliament for five more years.
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