James Cleverly crashes out in final Tory MPs leadership ballot
In a shocking turn of events, James Cleverly has been knocked out of the Tory leadership contest, leaving Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick to battle for the crown. The final vote of Conservative MPs saw Cleverly drop from the top spot to last place within 24 hours.
Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch to face off in final round
Kemi Badenoch, the grassroots favorite, surged from 30 to 42 votes, while Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, climbed from 31 to 41 votes. This sets the stage for a final ballot of around 150,000 Tory members, with Badenoch and Jenrick competing for the top position.
Ms. Badenoch emerges as frontrunner
Despite James Cleverly's initial lead and popularity after the Conservative party conference, Kemi Badenoch's rise in votes has positioned her as the frontrunner. Badenoch, viewed as the centrist candidate, is now in a neck-and-neck battle with right-winger Robert Jenrick, with the final winner set to be declared on November 2.
