James Cleverly’s bid to become the next Conservative Party leader received a significant boost as former rival Mel Stride endorsed his candidacy ahead of a crucial vote by Tory MPs.
Stride, eliminated in the last round of voting, took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his support for Cleverly, describing him as “strong, clear, and measured.” He emphasized that the Conservative Party needs to rebuild trust in economic competence, migration control, and public service reform.
Momentum for Cleverly has been steadily growing since his standout speech on the final day of the Tory conference, where he called for Conservatives to start “being normal again.” His speech reportedly energized the audience and resonated with many party members seeking a fresh approach.
Cleverly, the former home and foreign secretary competes with Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, and Robert Jenrick for the party’s leadership. On Tuesday, October 8, the field will be narrowed to three candidates, and by Wednesday, only two will remain for the final vote by the party’s membership.
Tory Leadership Race Heats Up
While Cleverly’s campaign has gained traction, Tugendhat has also seen a boost, with the influential West Midlands mayor Andy Street backing his bid.
Street’s support is seen as a significant win for Tugendhat, who is positioning himself as the candidate for the One Nation wing of the Conservative Party.
Despite starting the leadership race as an underdog, Cleverly has surged in the days leading up to the final vote among Tory MPs.
His campaign gained new momentum at the party conference in Birmingham, where he appealed to members with a pitch highlighting his conservative credentials and vision for restoring power to the embattled Tory Party.
Polling conducted by Conservative Home now shows Cleverly in a strong position. For the first time, he is forecast to defeat frontrunner Robert Jenrick in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, with 54% of members backing Cleverly compared to 36% for Jenrick.
This marks a major shift in the race, as Jenrick had been leading Cleverly by 51% to 37% in earlier polling.
The surge in support for Cleverly comes amid reports of tensions within Jenrick’s campaign. Sources revealed that Jenrick’s Tory leadership website was registered weeks before the party’s general election defeat, raising questions about his intentions.
The “Join Jenrick” site was registered on 1 June, just days after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the general election for 4 July.
The timing of Jenrick’s website registration has led to speculation that he may have anticipated a loss and prepared for a leadership bid. While Jenrick still holds the most significant number of public endorsements from Tory MPs, the momentum appears to be shifting in Cleverly’s favor.
According to Conservative Home’s latest polling, Cleverly is projected to beat Jenrick and Tugendhat in a head-to-head scenario. He is predicted to win against Tugendhat by a landslide, with 67% of members supporting Cleverly and just 18% backing Tugendhat.
However, Cleverly still faces stiff competition from Kemi Badenoch, who remains the frontrunner in the race. Despite some controversies during the party conference, Badenoch continues to poll ahead of her rivals.
Conservative Home’s survey shows that she would beat Cleverly by 48% to 42% in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup. Badenoch is also predicted to defeat Jenrick and Tugendhat in a potential final vote.
While Cleverly has seen his odds improve, with bookmakers slashing his chances from 15/8 to 11/8, Badenoch remains the favorite. Jenrick, meanwhile, has seen his odds drift from 5/6 to 6/4 in the last week.
As such, the final result of the leadership contest will hinge on how well Cleverly and the remaining candidates can consolidate support in the coming days. The outcome remains uncertain as the race heats up, with each candidate vying for party members’ backing.
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