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The Conservative Party will appoint a new leader to replace Rishi Sunak on 2 November.
Seven Tory MPs began jostling for support as nominations opened at 7pm on Wednesday.
The first teams that picked up nomination paperwork belonged to James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride and Suella Braverman, according to Sky.
The official nominations do not close until Monday so more candidates are likely to join the race.
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly has become the first Tory MP to declare he will run for the leadership, and ruled out a merger between the party and Reform UK if he becomes the next Tory leader.
“The Conservative Party doesn’t do mergers. The simple truth is that we have got a series of principles,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
Key Points
- James Cleverly says he is running to be the next leader of the Conservative Party
- Conservative MP says he will nominate Priti Patel
- New Conservative leader to be named on 2 November, party announces
- Tory leadership election timeline
- Suella Braverman’s Tory leadership bid ‘dead before it starts’
- Runners and riders: Who will vie to replace Rishi Sunak?
Most popular Tory candidate to replace Rishi Sunak revealed - poll
According to polling by Savanta carried out between July 19 and 21, Mr Tugendhat is the most popular potential contender among both the public, at minus three points, and 2024 Conservative voters, at 21 points.
Dame Priti is the least popular, at minus 28 points and seven points respectively, according to the research.
Mr Cleverly is second in the running, Savanta’s findings suggest, at minus nine points with the public and 19 points among 2024 Conservative voters.
Barney Davis24 July 2024 21:59 1721847546Victoria Atkins rules herself out of leadership race
Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins, who had been the subject of leadership speculation, ruled herself out in a Telegraph article.
She said: “I am flattered that many people in the House and beyond have asked me to stand but it has never been my intention to run in this contest.
“Until polling day three weeks ago, I had one of the biggest jobs in government, on which I was completely focused. I now want to help the next leader unite, rebuild and renew our party.”
Barney Davis24 July 2024 19:59 1721844592
Tom Tugendhat least hated Tory leadership contender, new poll reveals
Tom Tugendhat has emerged as an early frontrunner in the Tory leadership contest because he has the lowest negative rating with members of the public.
Tom Tugendhat least hated Tory leadership contender, new poll reveals
Tom Tugendhat has emerged as an early Tory leadership favourite with the public
Barney Davis24 July 2024 19:09 1721844395Seven MPs vying for leadership battle - Report
Sky News are reporting that at least seven MPs are set to contest for the Tory leadership after their teams collected the paperwork needed to nominate someone to replace Rishi Sunak.
The likely candidates are expected to be James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride and Suella Braverman.
The official nominations do not close until Monday so more candidates are likely to join the race.
Sky are reporting that senior Tory MPs believe Mel Stride and Suella Braverman to be the least likely to win the contest.
Barney Davis24 July 2024 19:06 1721812888Cleverly dismisses Reform UK merger
James Cleverly has ruled out a merger between the Conservative Party and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK if he becomes the next leader.
“The Conservative Party doesn’t do mergers. The simple truth is that we have got a series of principles, “ Mr Cleverly told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“We believe in civil liberty. We believe in free enterprise. We believe in efficient but modest size of the state, lower taxes… those are our principles, that is our agenda. What we need to do is expand our base of support.”
Conservative MP says he will nominate Priti Patel
A Conservative MP said he will nominate Dame Priti Patel to be the next Tory leader.
Sir Alec Shelbrooke said the former home secretary is “respected on all wings of the party”.
He told GB News: “I will be nominating Priti Patel because I think Priti has not just the pragmatic approach to all the issues but she was also there, brought into CCHQ, by Cecil Parkinson in 1997 about how to rebuild the Conservative Party after that defeat.
“You get this pattern in government, that after a long period of time in government, the structure starts to fall down. You think it would do the opposite, but it doesn’t. You’re so busy on governing that the structure falls down. That is task number one.
“Priti has had senior roles and she’s respected on all wings of the party, and I think that’s an important point. And it comes back to we’ve got to have a conservative leader representing the Conservative Party and get away from these different gangs that have formed and have been fighting with each other.”
Tory leadership election timeline
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly has said he is running to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
In a video posted to social media announcing his candidacy, the former foreign and home secretary said the Conservatives needed to “re-establish our reputation as the party who, in government, helps grow the economy, helps people achieve their goals, their dreams, and their aspirations”.
Barney Davis23 July 2024 20:56 1721761224The last Tory leadership election
The last Conservative leadership election came following Liz Truss’ resignation in October 2022.
Ms Truss was elected to replace Boris Johnson, but only lasted six weeks in office after he disastrous mini budget sent economic markets into turmoil.
Two candidates put their name forward: Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak.
Ms Mordaunt withdrew from the contest less than two minutes before the deadline for nominations, leaving Mr Sunak the only candidate in the contest and thus, party leader without a ballot of MPs or party members.
Watch: Cleverly hints he will launch Tory leadership bid
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