Cleverly ahead in Tory leadership race, as Tugendhat voted out

Tom Tugendhat has been knocked out of the Conservative leadership race, leaving three candidates to face another round of voting by MPs on Wednesday.

James Cleverly leapt into the lead with 39 votes, jumping from third place at the last vote, after what was seen as a strong performance at last week’s Conservative Party conference.

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick came in second with 31 votes – losing two votes on last time. Kemi Badenoch came a close third with 30 votes – up two from the last round. Tugendhat received 20 votes.

The candidates have no time to rest as MPs will select the final two tomorrow – who will then go to a vote by party membership over the next three weeks.

The new leader will be announced on 2 November.

In a social media post after the results, Tugendhat thanked his supporters.

“Your energy, your ideas and your support have shown a vision of what our party could become,” he said.

“Our campaign has ended but our commitment to our country continues.”

With Badenoch and Jenrick locked in a tight race, the fight now shifts to winning Tugendhat’s supporters.

Cleverly is just one vote shy of guaranteeing his place in the final two, having won just under a third of the 121 remaining Tory MPs.

Both Cleverly and Badenoch increased their votes after a round of speeches and interviews at last week’s Conservative Party conference.

The three remaining candidates posted to social media to thank their supporters.

Despite the surge in votes, Cleverly told his supporters “the job’s not finished” in a social media post.

“I’m excited to keep spreading our positive Conservative message,” he added.

Badenoch gave Tugendhat her condolences, then celebrated her increased backing saying “I’m pleased to have increased support and grateful to all of my colleagues who voted for me”.

Jenrick said: “I am incredibly grateful, once again, for the support of colleagues from across our party.”

He also thanked Tugendhat, who he said “showed the very best of our party”.

Messages from the rival camp show Jenrick and Badenoch are battling for the support of the right of the party as they attempt to make the final two. While Cleverly now likely to make the final round as the “One Nation” wing’s candidate.

A spokesperson for Badenoch’s campaign said: “There are three candidates left in this contest, two are gaining votes and one is going backwards and losing support.

“The right of the Conservative Party now needs to coalesce around Kemi, who can reach across and unify the party, has the star quality to cut through in opposition, and is indisputably the members’ choice for leader.”

A spokesman for Jenrick’s campaign said: “Robert is now in prime position to make the final two.”

“MPs want seriousness and competence,” the spokesperson said – pointing out Jenrick had won support from different wings of the party.

The leadership contest winner will replace former prime minister Rishi Sunak, who stood down as party leader after leading the Conservatives to their worst performance at a general election in July.

Former home secretary Priti Patel went out in the first round of voting by Tory MPs in September, followed by shadow pensions secretary Mel Stride a week later.

The days before the results were announced saw a flurry of endorsements for the leadership candidates.

Cleverly received a boost on Monday when he was backed by former leadership candidate Stride, who won 16 votes in the last round. In total, Cleverly gained 18 votes compared to the last round.

Hamble Valley MP Paul Holmes quit as a Tory whip in order to also publicly support Cleverly on Tuesday.

While Badenoch received endorsements from former cabinet minister David Davis and another from the Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis.

The BBC understands ex-prime minister Rishi Sunak did not vote in the leadership election and does not plan to endorse a candidate.

At the recent party conference, the final four candidates all gave major speeches setting their visions for reforming the party after its historic defeat in the general election this year.

Cleverly told party members the Conservatives needed to be “more normal” to win back voters who deserted them for Reform UK.

Jenrick called for a “new Conservative Party” and promised “an effective freeze in net migration”, while Badenoch said she would “reprogramme the British state” based on “renewed Conservative principles”.

Each candidate also attacked Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said their party could win the next general election under their leadership, but not without changing its direction.