BBCFormer cupboard minister Priti Patel has been knocked out of the Conservative management contest within the first spherical of voting by Tory MPs.
The previous immigration minister Robert Jenrick topped the ballot of MPs with 28 votes adopted by Kemi Badenoch on 22 votes.
Third was James Cleverly with 21, fourth was Tom Tugendhat with 17, fifth was Mel Stride with 16 and final was Dame Priti on 14.
Voting will proceed within the coming weeks till there are two candidates left, leaving social gathering members to select one among them to be the brand new chief.
The winner will exchange Rishi Sunak, who stood down as social gathering chief after main the Conservatives to their worst efficiency at a common election in July.
One other vote might be held subsequent Tuesday to whittle the sector right down to 4 candidates earlier than the social gathering’s annual convention on the finish of September.
An intensive spherical of hustings and a number of votes will comply with the convention from 8 October, lasting three days, till solely two candidates are left.
Conservative Get together members will then select which of the ultimate two candidates they need as the brand new chief, with the outcome introduced on 2 November.
Just a few dozen Conservative MPs gathered in a Parliamentary committee room for the results of the primary poll, their numbers a lot depleted following July’s election defeat.
As the house secretary in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s authorities, Dame Priti developed a popularity as a law-and-order Conservative.
Recognized for her robust stance on immigration, Dame Priti spearheaded the Conservative authorities’s flagship scheme to ship some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
In her management marketing campaign, she promised to unite the social gathering, get it match match for the subsequent common election, and provides members a better voice.
Six Conservatives entered the competition to succeed Mr Sunak over the summer season.
In August, Mr Jenrick mentioned the Conservatives might win the subsequent common election however wanted to “confront some exhausting truths”.
Mr Jenrick is making an attempt to attraction to Reform UK voters with guarantees to regulate the UK’s borders and cut back immigration.
Mr Stride has positioned himself as a gradual hand who can restore the credibility of the Conservative Get together after its historic defeat within the common election.
The previous work and pensions secretary believes he can unite the social gathering to win again the general public’s belief.
The remaining three contenders launched their management campaigns in London this week.
Mrs Badenoch, who’s topping polls of Tory members, mentioned her social gathering wanted to “cease appearing like Labour” to win again energy at her management launch on Monday.
She mentioned that to win again the belief of the general public the Tories “can’t simply sit round stating how horrible Labour are” and “having the identical coverage arguments of the final Parliament”.
In his opening pitch for the management, Mr Cleverly referred to as for his social gathering to “assume and act like Conservatives once more” and embrace a smaller position for the state.
A former residence secretary, Mr Cleverly has pledged to convey again the Rwanda scheme if he’s elected subsequent Conservative chief and prime minister, albeit in a unique kind.
Mr Tugendhat’s provide has been targeted on defence and immigration, as he makes an attempt to woo MPs on the precise of his social gathering.
The previous safety minister mentioned he was prepared to depart the European Conference on Human Rights (ECHR) if it prevented the federal government from deporting international criminals and he was unable to reform it.
