Robert Jenrick in pole position to be next Tory leader as Priti Patel eliminated in first round of voting

Robert Jenrick has gained the primary spherical of voting within the race to be the following Conservative chief as Dame Priti Patel was eradicated.

The previous immigration minister took 28 votes, beating the favorite Kemi Badenoch into second with the backing of twenty-two Tory MPs.

The opposite contenders nonetheless within the working are former safety minister Tom Tugendhat, ex-home secretary James Cleverly and Mel Stride.

Subsequent week the group will likely be whittled down once more, to simply 4.

Subsequent month’s Conservative occasion convention will then be dominated by the competition, after which MPs will select who to place into the ultimate two.

The ultimate candidates will likely be voted on by Tory members, with the winner anticipated to be introduced on 2 November.

Earlier Sir Keir Starmer described Ms Badenoch because the “favorite” within the Tory management race at PMQs, and she or he was the bookies’ alternative.

Nevertheless it was Mr Jenrick, who final month sparked outrage after he stated individuals shouting “Allahu Akbar” on London streets “ought to be arrested instantly”, who secured essentially the most votes from Tory MPs.

The outcomes noticed Mr Jenrick win 28 votes, Ms Badenoch 22, ex-home secretary James Cleverly 21, former safety minister Tom Tugendhat 17, ex-cabinet minister Mel Stride 16 and Dame Priti, one other former dwelling secretary, 14.

Shadow communities secretary Ms Badenoch claimed the end result confirmed there was “large help” for her marketing campaign.

“It’s time to cope with laborious truths right this moment, slightly than massive issues tomorrow,” she added on X.

“I stay up for making the case for renewal across the nation, with colleagues and members.”

Mr Cleverly added that “momentum” was on his aspect., saying it was “nice to be by means of to the following spherical” and including “I’m prepared to guide, and win, the following Common Election”.

Mr Tugendhat stated he was “honoured to have made it by means of to the following spherical of this management contest. I’m able to serve, lead and act to make Britain a greater place.”

Mr Sunak’s authorities was rocked final December by the resignation of Mr Jenrick after the PM didn’t appease Tory right-wingers along with his emergency Rwanda laws.

In a scathing resignation letter, Mr Jenrick advised Mr Sunak he didn’t imagine the brand new invoice offered “us with the absolute best probabilities of success” in getting Rwanda flights off the bottom.

The hardliner made clear he needed to bypass the European Conference on Human Rights (ECHR) – revealing that he had been “pushing for the strongest doable” invoice that will put “nationwide pursuits above extremely contested interpretations of worldwide legislation”.

In response, Mr Sunak branded his departure “disappointing”, however advised Mr Jenrick in a letter he feared it was “primarily based on a elementary misunderstanding of the scenario”.

Earlier this week he doubled down on plan to depart the ECHR.

The previous dwelling workplace minister, who has emerged because the main candidate for the Tory right-wing, hit out at claims from his rivals that he was searching for “straightforward solutions” by saying he would name to depart the conference.

He has stated that reforming the ECHR would take a long time and that if voters gave the Tories one other likelihood to repair immigration they “is not going to give us one other likelihood” if the occasion failed once more.

Mr Cleverly, who oversaw the Rwanda deportation laws, had argued that it was not the ECHR that blocked Rwanda flights however the UK Supreme Courtroom.