The Tory leadership race has entered its final stretch after a surprising turn of events in the recent ballot of MPs. Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick are set to kick off their campaigning to win the hearts of Conservative Party members on Thursday, as they compete to succeed Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader. The unexpected elimination of James Cleverly on Wednesday, who was previously the favourite according to bookmakers, has set the stage for a head-to-head battle between Badenoch and Jenrick.
Speculations arose about potential vote-sharing tactics among MPs to engineer a place in the final two, but both Cleverly’s allies and a source from the Jenrick campaign denied any coordinated effort. It was suggested that MPs may have strategically supported secondary candidates to ensure their preferred choice’s safety. As the competition intensifies, both remaining candidates will now focus on winning over Conservative members nationwide, with the final result scheduled to be announced on November 2.
Jenrick is expected to deliver a speech outlining his campaign strategy on Thursday and has challenged Badenoch to a debate on airwaves at any time. Despite initial doubts about his position in the last two, Jenrick rallied for support from MPs and highlighted his proposal for a legally binding cap on immigration, aiming to win back voters lost to other parties. On the other hand, Badenoch urged Tory members to “go bold” and support her as she aims to unite the party following the diverse support received by different candidates in the previous ballot.
The momentum builds as the final phase of the Tory leadership contest commences, with Badenoch and Jenrick vying for the top spot to lead the Conservative Party into the future.