The competition to become the next leader of the Conservative Party is in full swing, with four candidates remaining in contention. Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat are all vying to replace Rishi Sunak, who led the Tories to their worst-ever general election performance in July. Sunak remains in charge for now but will step down once his successor is chosen. This will mark the sixth time the Tories have changed leaders in under eight and a half years.
To qualify for consideration, each of the four candidates needed the backing of at least ten MPs, including a proposer and seconder. This was much easier than during the 2022 leadership election when wannabe leaders needed the support of 100 MPs. Sunak was the only one who entered the race with that level of backing and became party leader as a result. Those who are also whips or sit on the executive of the backbench 1922 Committee could not nominate a candidate. Applicants were also instructed to raise $200,000 for the party if they wish to progress to the final four.
On 29 July, the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee announced that six contenders met the requirements. After the deadline, candidates had five and a half weeks to impress other MPs. Conservative MPs voted a first round on 4 September, narrowing the field from six to five candidates. Priti Patel came last and was eliminated, leaving five contestants in the race. After a second Tory MP vote on 10 September, the field was reduced to four, with Mel Stride eliminated. At the party’s conference in Birmingham, the final four had a chance to directly address Conservative members.
Westminster will hold two more rounds of voting on 9-10 October to determine the final two contenders. If two candidates remain, Conservative members will vote between 15-31 October to choose the winner. They will use secure online voting, a system that has been criticized for its vulnerability to hackers and rogue state interference. Party members have usually chosen the more right-wing candidate among the final two candidates. The Conservatives’ new leader will be named on 2 November, taking over from Sunak and leading the party’s efforts to rebuild
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