Tom Tugendhat has been knocked out of the Conservative leadership contest in the third round of voting by Tory MPs.
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly topped the poll of MPs with 39 votes, followed by former immigration minister Robert Jenrick on 31 votes.
The results from the third round of voting were as follows:
- James Cleverly – 39
- Robert Jenrick – 31
- Kemi Badenoch – 30
- Tom Tugendhat – 20
Cleverly gained an extra 18 supporters from the last round of voting, while Jenrick lost the backing of two MPs.
Badenoch, who came third, gained two MPs
Cleverly was the standout performer at the Conservative Party’s annual conference last week, and the surge in support for his campaign suggests Tory MPs have taken note.
Reacting to the result, the Badenoch campaign has urged supporters of Jenrick to “coalesce” behind the former business secretary.
A Kemi Badenoch campaign spokesman said: “There are three candidates left in this contest, two are gaining votes and one is going backwards and losing support.
“The right of the Conservative Party now needs to coalesce around Kemi, who can reach across and unify the party, has the star quality to cut through in opposition, and is indisputably the members’ choice for leader.”
Cleverly, after leapfrogging both Badenoch and Jenrick in the latest round of voting, has insisted “the job’s not finished.”
He posted on X/Twitter: “I’m grateful to all my colleagues for their support today, and I’m pleased to be through to the next round..
“The job’s not finished. I’m excited to keep spreading our positive Conservative message.”
The Conservative parliamentary party will vote one further time on Wednesday at 3.30 pm to narrow the field down to two contenders.
The race’s winner will then be chosen by party members and announced on 2 November.
- Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride was eliminated from the race last month, after he picked up only 16 MP backers in the second round of voting. Stride’s exit followed that of former home secretary Priti Patel, who won just 14 MP supporters in the contest’s first round.
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