Shakeup in Tory Leadership Race: Mel Stride Out as Jenrick Leads Pack

Mel Stride eliminated from Conservative leadership contest – Robert Jenrick remains frontrunner

The ex-work and pensions secretary is the second lawmaker to exit, with the remaining four candidates gearing up for crucial hustings at the party’s conference in Birmingham.

Political journalist @NifS

Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 8:

Mel Stride is the most recent Conservative candidate to be eliminated from the contest to succeed Rishi Sunak.

On Tuesday, Conservative Party members of Parliament conducted their second vote to further refine their selection of leadership candidates.

The ex-chief of work and pensions finished at the bottom, garnering support from only 16 MPs, which led to Mr. Stride's elimination from the subsequent round of voting.

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Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick emerged as the frontrunner again, securing the most votes for the second consecutive round with 33, while former business secretary Kemi Badenoch trailed closely with 28 votes.

Former Home Secretary James Cleverly and former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat each garnered 21 votes.

Following the election, Mr. Stride took to Twitter to express his sentiments, stating he "thoroughly relished the experience" of his leadership campaign. He added, "The core values of our party remain robust and vibrant. Eventually, we will succeed."

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The last four candidates will soon travel to Birmingham for the upcoming Conservative Party conference, where they will engage in a hustings event in an effort to gain the support of party members.

Members of Parliament will cast one final vote to narrow the candidates to two, after which the broader party membership will select their preferred leader.

The announcement of the new leader is anticipated to take place on November 2.

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Political Reporter

In the most recent stage of the Conservative party leadership contest, unexpected candidate Mel Stride has withdrawn.

This narrows it down to four candidates who will engage in several more weeks of discussion, with the Conservative Party conference up next in what is an exceedingly lengthy procedure.

Currently, attention is focused on the leading candidates, Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, who both saw their support grow in Tuesday's vote, with Jenrick gaining five additional votes and Badenoch six.

The challenge facing James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat, each having received 21 votes and placing them at the lower end, is whether they can reverse their fortunes.

The two trailing candidates have a distinct chance to collaborate and combine their backing, potentially securing a place for one of them in the final stage of the contest.

They hold a more centrist political stance compared to their competitors, thus providing a more distinct option for the members when it's time for them to make a decision.

This implies that one party would have to concede to the other, and in the realm of politics, it's well understood that relinquishing power is rarely done without a struggle.

If an agreement isn't reached, it would take nothing less than a miraculous turn of events at the conference to prevent Badenoch and Jenrick from being the final contenders.

In an interview with Sky News just after the voting, Mr. Jenrick expressed his deep appreciation for his supporters and everyone who responded to his appeal for "change" within the party.

He stated: "I think it's crucial for the Conservative Party to strongly uphold the successes we've achieved while in power, yet we must also openly acknowledge our errors and start to restore the public’s confidence."

"On matters such as the economy, healthcare, or immigration—key concerns for the nation—the citizens expect us to acknowledge our errors and subsequently present substantial solutions to these major problems."

Mr. Jenrick stated that he now sees a definite route to be among the last two contenders, but he emphasized, "There's still a significant challenge ahead, so we’ll remain cautious."

On X, Ms. Badenoch expressed her gratitude to her colleagues, noting she was "thankful to make it into the top two and to have received the highest number of new votes in this round."

She further stated, "It's crucial to have a leader capable of making a significant impact in opposition and overcoming Labour and Reform. Above all, we require an individual with firm beliefs, a strong sense of direction, and the expertise necessary to overhaul our malfunctioning political system."

"I'll be presenting that in Birmingham later this month."

Mr. Cleverly expressed his joy on Twitter about advancing to the last four contenders, appreciating the backing from his Conservative peers. He emphasized, "It's essential we consolidate our party around Conservative principles and confront Labour head-on. The effort goes on."

In a declaration, Mr. Tugendhat expressed that it was "a tremendous privilege" to advance.

"He put it plainly," he remarked. "Our options are clear: select a candidate whose foundation is service, who has demonstrated leadership, and who lives by their values, or prepare for a continuation of the status quo."

However, a representative for Labour stated that the list of leadership candidates had been narrowed to four individuals who were "central figures during 14 years of turmoil and deterioration." They added, "Their refusal to acknowledge their part in the problems shows that none of these candidates are suitable for the position."

"They haven't taken any lessons from their errors, and while they remain embroiled in internal conflicts, Labour is focused on addressing the dire legacy they were handed."

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Mr. Stride has been a loyal supporter of Mr. Sunak for many years, earning the nickname "the minister for the morning round" throughout the general election campaign as he frequently appeared in the media more than any other team member.

He held the position of Work and Pensions Secretary during Mr. Sunak's time in office and has continued to oversee this area from the opposition side.

The Conservative Member of Parliament held positions as the Financial Secretary and Paymaster General at the Treasury under Theresa May's administration. Following this, he led the Treasury Select Committee from 2019 to 2022.

Prior to his tenure in the Commons, Mr. Stride founded Venture Marketing Group, a company focused on organizing trade shows and conferences.

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