Momentum with Cleverly in Tory Leadership Race: Final Outcome Still Uncertain as Members Await Their Turn

James Cleverly gains traction following recent votes in Conservative leadership race – yet the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.

With another elimination round on the horizon tomorrow, and approximately 170,000 members yet to vote, what insights do the latest results and updates provide about the future developments?

Assistant Political Editor @SamCoatesSky

Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 6:

It's clear who is gaining ground in the Conservative leadership race at this moment.

James Cleverly soared past his competitors to take the lead, capitalizing on a thoroughly planned and engaging conference speech aimed at boosting party morale.

Current Political News: Official Declines to Say Sorry for Controversial Tweet

A proposal from the moderate wing of the Conservative Party seems to be gaining traction across various factions. The expectation from competing groups that the conference would have minimal impact has proven to be unfounded.

However, this alone does not ensure success, and beyond this point, all outcomes remain unpredictable.

Another elimination round is set for tomorrow before the approximately 170,000 members cast their votes. What insights can be gathered from the outcomes and briefings about future developments?

Today's events revealed three key insights, as the remaining competitors clash tonight to secure a spot for their contender in the final two.

Key Takeaways:

• Kemi Badenoch is clearly targeting the conservative wing of her party, indicating a lack of effort to attract the majority of Tom Tugendhat's followers, who are generally, though not entirely, aligned with one-nation Tory principles. In a recent statement, she declared that it's time for "the right wing of the Conservative Party to unite behind Kemi," pointing out that she is still attempting to draw support from those who currently back Robert Jenrick, despite trailing behind him today. This approach is quite audacious, especially considering that Badenoch had previously experienced a fallout with some members of the ERG (European Research Group) during Rishi Sunak's tenure as Prime Minister.

• Robert Jenrick's campaign is experiencing a decline. Opposing groups are taking advantage of a decrease in his support, evidenced by a drop from 33 MP votes previously to just 31 today. Despite earlier claims from Jenrick's camp that he would secure 35-40 votes, he has notably failed to meet those projections. It seems the recent conference has been detrimental to his efforts—his speech did not resonate as well as those of his competitors, leading to a slip in his standing among MPs.

• Does James Cleverly have such a lead that he's considering strategizing to have Jenrick as his competitor in the last stage? According to the YouGov survey of Conservative members conducted prior to the conference presentations, Mr. Jenrick was merely four points ahead of Mr. Cleverly, with Ms. Badenoch leading by more. With such narrow gaps between the runners-up, is it possible he might "share" some votes to ensure a less challenging adversary advances?

For an optimal video viewing experience, it is recommended to use the Chrome browser

A YouGov survey showed that among the general public, Conservative MPs ousted the favorite candidate for leadership, Mr. Tugendhat. He was followed by Mr. Cleverly and Mr. Jenrick, who were equally favored, while Ms. Badenoch was found to be the least popular.

What are the key concerns of the crucial Conservative Party members?

Further Reading: Poll indicates Labour's advantage over Conservatives narrows to a mere point, as Johnson refutes accusations of ridiculing the public by saying they 'eagerly desired' lockdown regulations.

YouGov's AI Topic Quantifier surveyed Conservative party members on the traits they desire in a leader.

Stay informed about the most recent developments in the UK and internationally by tuning into Sky News.

Leading the priorities for the group was the demand for "integrity and honesty," followed by a preference for "conservative values." A mere 2% indicated that their main concern was "winning the election."

This emphasizes the uncertainty of the final result, regardless of where the current trends are pointing this evening.

Associated Subjects

Sky News Bottom Section

Information about Sky News

Services Provided by Sky News

Sky Network Channels

Additional Sky Websites