Priti Patel is knocked out of Tory leadership contest

Robert Jenrick emerged as an early front-runner in the Conservative leadership competition today after coming in first in the initial round of voting. Meanwhile, Priti Patel was the first candidate to be eliminated from the race.

Mr Jenrick, the ex-immigration minister, got the highest number of votes from MPs with 28, which was six more than Kemi Badenoch who got 22 votes.

However, the shadow housing secretary, Ms. Badenoch, who was previously considered the top contender, was only slightly ahead of the former home secretary, James Cleverly, who placed third with 21 votes.

Ms Patel will not be participating anymore after finishing in last place with a score of 14, behind Mel Stride who scored 16 and Tom Tugendhat who scored 17.

Members of Parliament are narrowing down the options to four candidates before a selection process at the party conference in Birmingham at the beginning of next month.

The numbers now show a clear level of support for the candidates, with only around half of the 121 politicians who survived the election publicly declaring their support. A second round of voting will happen next week.

Even though she didn't meet expectations, Ms. Badenoch expressed appreciation for the significant amount of support she received. Her allies were adamant that she was gaining momentum. However, the widespread support indicates that there will be many votes up for grabs in the upcoming stages.

The most recent survey on the ConservativeHome website shows that Ms. Badenoch is the preferred choice among activists, with 34% support, while her closest competitor, Mr. Jenrick, has only 18% support.

Robert Jenrick was the winner of the initial round of voting for the Tory leader today, while Priti Patel was the first candidate to be eliminated.

The most recent survey from the ConservativeHome site shows that Kemi Badenoch is the top pick among party supporters.

Priti Patel was eliminated from the leadership race today, being the first contestant to be removed from the competition.

The candidates who are still in the running were happy with the outcome of the initial round.

Following her removal, Dame Priti called on fellow members of the Conservative Party to come together and support our shared Conservative principles.

In a message posted on X, she explained, "I have made party reform a central focus of my campaign to lead the Conservative and Unionist Party, and there is a clear rationale behind that decision."

Bob Blackman, who leads the influential 1922 committee, announced the results to members of Parliament and reporters in a meeting room in the House of Commons earlier today.

The party has arranged for four candidates to present their arguments to Tory members at the conference in early October.

Following that, Members of Parliament will conduct additional rounds of voting to choose two ultimate nominees to be presented to party supporters, with the victor revealed on November 2nd.

Three Members of Parliament - Mr Sunak, Mr Blackman, and party chair Richard Fuller - have announced that they will abstain from voting.

There has been concern about the prolonged schedule, as it results in Mr. Sunak giving a response to the Budget on October 30th.

Ms Badenoch stated that the outcome of the initial voting round, where she secured the second spot, indicated strong backing for her campaign.

"I want to express my gratitude to all my coworkers who voted for me. The results of the independent member polls, along with the support for @renewal2030, clearly demonstrate the strong backing we have," she wrote on X.

It's important to face difficult realities now instead of waiting until they become bigger issues in the future.

I am excited to present the argument for renewal to various locations across the country, alongside my peers and fellow members.

Mr. Cleverly expressed his optimism by saying that the momentum is in their favor after securing the third spot in the initial ballot of the Conservative leadership competition.

In a recent article, he expressed his happiness about advancing to the next round and feeling grateful for the backing of his colleagues in Parliament.

We must come together as a party through embracing conservative principles, and I am prepared to take charge and emerge victorious in the upcoming national election.

We have the advantage right now, but we still have to keep working hard.

Mr. Tugendhat, the Shadow Security Minister, expressed his gratitude for the support of his fellow members of Parliament and for advancing to the next stage of the leadership competition.

Dear Priti, you have always been a loyal member of this party, have a strong passion for its future, and I have no doubt that you will continue to have a significant impact in it.

Mel, James, Kemi, and Robert are friends who all support the Conservative party. But I am the only one who can bring about the revolution that the party and our country are in need of.

I will take charge in opposition just like I would as prime minister, by working for the benefit of the British people, leading with confidence, and taking action to improve our country. This is my pledge, and I always follow through on what I promise.

Many people have started their campaigns as politicians returned to work at Parliament.

Mrs. Badenoch, who is expected to win the bookmakers' prediction, expressed her dissatisfaction at the event by stating that the Tories didn't follow through with their promises and instead made decisions similar to those made by the Labour party.

Mr Jenrick has made immigration the main issue of his campaign. He has pledged to enforce a limit on the amount of legal migrants allowed and to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

James Cleverly, who arrived with his wife Susie for his campaign launch on Monday, is still a strong contender for the party's leadership position.

Tom Tugendhat officially announced his candidacy for leadership yesterday.

The head of the 1922 committee, Bob Blackman, revealed the outcome of the initial round of voting earlier today.

There has been concern about the long delay in the timetable, as it results in Mr. Sunak having to give his response to the Budget on October 30th.

In a recent survey conducted by ConHome, 34 percent of respondents showed their support for Ms. Badenoch, while only 18 percent backed her closest competitor, Mr. Jenrick.

The ex-security minister, Mr. Tugendhat, wants to start fresh with the public by bringing back truthfulness to politics. On the other hand, Mr. Cleverly, the opposition's home secretary, has stated that if he becomes prime minister, his main focuses would be strengthening national security, decreasing immigration, and rebuilding trust in capitalism.

Priti vowed to lead the Conservative Party to victory once again, showcasing her experience in the cabinet and her achievements in immigration and law enforcement.

Mr. Stride has not organized a formal launch event, but has been regularly appearing on broadcasts and speaking with the media in the beginning stages of the competition.

Members of Parliament and reporters were informed of the statistics during a meeting held in a committee room at the House of Commons earlier today.