Stunning Upset in Tory Leadership Race: Cleverly Out as Jenrick and Badenoch Advance to Final Round

Tory leadership contest update: James Cleverly exits race, Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch make final cut

The elimination of the former foreign secretary, who had surged in popularity following the Tory conference, has left many stunned and bewildered.

Politics correspondent @AmroJourno

Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 6:

Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch are set to compete for the leadership of the Conservative Party following the elimination of James Cleverly from the contest.

On Wednesday, Conservative MPs conducted the last round of voting to narrow down the candidates to two finalists, who will subsequently face a vote among Conservative Party members.

In the last voting session, Ms. Badenoch regained her status as the frontrunner by securing 42 votes, after trailing in earlier rounds.

Robert Jenrick, closely trailing on the right, secured just one vote less than Ms. Badenoch, while Mr. Cleverly, viewed as a consensus candidate, received support from 37 MPs.

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The appointment of Ms. Badenoch and Mr. Jenrick indicates a shift to the right for the Conservative Party, with immigration and the UK's affiliation with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) becoming key issues.

Mr. Jenrick expressed his pleasure, stating he was "thrilled to receive such strong backing from his fellow lawmakers today."

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He conveyed to Sophy Ridge of Sky News that his focus on reforming the NHS, boosting the economy, and cutting down on immigration resonated with members of parliament.

"In each of these sectors, I have a concrete strategy," he stated.

"I avoid dealing in clichés. Instead, I have a clear strategy for offering genuine, skilled leadership to our party and, in the end, to our nation."

This competition might turn sour in no time

Assistant political editor

The fight for the Conservative party leadership has ceased to be about determining the party's future path.

Selecting Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick has shifted the focus from a debate over the party's future path to a clash between two distinct conservative perspectives within British politics.

The sudden removal of James Cleverly, who was leading the race just a day ago, shocked the party members. So far, no one has confirmed if his loss was due to an error in vote trading.

People spotted Cleverly on the terrace and afterward, briefly, at the Boris Johnson book launch event. During this time, his opponents were actively making calls to secure backing.

The competition remains tight between Ms. Badenoch and Mr. Jenrick as they advance to the last stage, facing the verdict of 170,000 Conservative party members. Currently, Ms. Badenoch seems to have a slight advantage.

The most recent YouGov poll for Sky News shows her leading her opponent by four percentage points in a direct matchup. This narrow lead falls within the margin of error and the poll was conducted before her applauded speech at the conference.

In the last round of voting, she unexpectedly took the lead among MPs, despite earlier speculations that they would attempt to exclude her from the ballot. This effectively dismisses the notion that her frequent controversial and erratic remarks would disqualify her from securing the top position.

Mr. Jenrick will now hope that immigration becomes the central issue in this race.

Team Jenrick asserts that he aims to exit the ECHR and mentions that she prefers to stay, while also claiming his rival desires departure. Team Badenoch counters this, stating it oversimplifies her stance; she is open to leaving if required, but only following a thorough review.

Distinct boundaries have not yet appeared, though. There's a danger that a competition focused on individual characters might soon turn very personal and sour. This is a contest that no one could have foreseen.

Ms. Badenoch stated that her success in the last voting round stemmed from the strong belief supporters have in her methodology, emphasizing that she prioritizes "principles first, then policy."

Mr. Cleverly's unexpected exit from the contest followed a surge in the prior vote count, which many attributed to his impressive showing at the Conservative Party conference.

Journalist Alix Culbertson, present during the announcement, commented that there was a palpable sense of disbelief among those gathered as it was revealed the former home secretary failed to make the final two.

After the outcome, Mr. Cleverly shared on X: "I appreciate the backing from my colleagues, party members, and the public throughout this campaign.

"Unfortunately, it didn't work out. We are all Conservatives, and it's crucial that the Conservative Party comes together to confront this disastrous Labour government."

Following the elimination of Tom Tugendhat, the ex-security minister and moderate candidate, from the competition after securing the fewest votes from MPs on Tuesday, the race continued without him.

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The outcome signals a resurgence for Ms. Badenoch, initially the front-runner early in the competition, but subsequently surpassed by Mr. Jenrick in the initial three rounds of voting among MPs.

Each candidate came under fire for remarks they delivered at the party convention.

Mr. Jenrick asserted that the SAS is compelled to eliminate terrorists instead of detaining them due to concerns that the European Court would release them, a claim that several of his peers challenged.

Ex-business secretary Ms. Badenoch had to retract her previous statements concerning "excessive" maternity benefits and the imprisonment of civil servants.

The topic of the UK's continued association with the ECHR is expected to dominate discussions between the leading candidates, with Mr. Jenrick, having previously invited his opponent to a debate, pushing for Britain's departure from the convention.

Ms. Badenoch advocates for a reassessment of the ECHR and is open to withdrawing from it if required.

When questioned if the campaign might turn "dirty" and if he could ensure a "clean contest," Mr. Jenrick responded to Sophy Ridge, saying, "I have conducted my campaign cleanly for the past three months.

"I consider myself a team player, yet I also aim to guide our party," he stated. "We must adopt more conservative principles. It's essential that we reclaim our position at the center of British political life."

Addressing the topic of the ECHR, Ms. Badenoch expressed that concentrating exclusively on it during the discussion would be an error.

Further reading: Poll indicates Labour's advantage over Conservatives narrows to a mere point; Boris Johnson refutes claims of ridiculing the public.

"In my conference presentation and during the initiation of my campaign, I emphasized the importance of discussing all issues," she explained to journalists in Westminster.

"The focus shouldn't solely be on a minor aspect of immigration policy. Yes, reducing immigration is a component of the broader issue, but if we only discuss the European Convention on Human Rights, it will limit the necessary nationwide dialogue."

The voting by party members will conclude at 5pm on Thursday, October 31. The results will be declared on Saturday, November 2, revealing the new leader of the party and the principal challenger to the Labour government.

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