- The Conservative Party in the UK is hunting for a fresh party leader, as five contenders step forward into the fray.
Exactly two months post their humiliating defeat in the UK, the Tories are now selecting a new leader to replace Rishi Sunak, who stepped down following their dismal performance in the July 4th election. In the initial round of voting among parliamentary members, Priti Patel, a known hardliner and former Home Secretary, received the least votes and was consequently eliminated, leaving five contenders.
Leading the pack was Robert Jenrick, a harsh immigration policy advocate and former Home Secretary, who earned 28 votes out of 121. At 42, he advocates for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights to adopt a more stringent stance on unlawful immigration.
The Conservative Party suffered its worst election result in decades on July 4th, prompting Sunak to resign as party leader. The Labour Party, under new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is now in power, marking a significant shift in governance for the UK after 14 years of Tory rule.
Remaining contenders
Kemi Badenoch, another right-wing Conservative and party member poll favorite, came in second with 22 votes. Right behind her is James Cleverly, a moderate former Home Secretary. Tom Tugendhat, who served as Security Secretary under Sunak, and Mel Stride, most recently the Work and Pensions Secretary, are also considered as moderate candidates.
Shift to the right expected
Despite the Tories losing many voters to the Liberal Democrats in their traditional strongholds in southern England, experts predict that the party will lean further to the right, influenced by the success of the right-wing populist Reform UK party, which entered Parliament for the first time with 5 members in the July 4th election. Nigel Farage, Reform UK's leader and a Brexit key player, played a significant role in pushing for Brexit.
New leader to be chosen by early November
The 121 Tory Parliamentary members will now engage in a multi-week voting process with multiple rounds until only two candidates remain. The party members will then decide who leads the party, with the results expected to be announced on November 2nd.
The Tories faced numerous scandals and frequent changes in leadership during their 14-year tenure, with Sunak becoming the 6th Prime Minister since 2010.
The United Kingdom is currently under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party, marking a shift in governance following the Tories' worst election result in decades on July 4th. The Tories, led by the Conservative Party, are now selecting a new leader to replace Rishi Sunak, with Robert Jenrick, a known supporter of harsh immigration policies, leading the pack.
