Priti Patel is knocked out of Tory management contest

Robert Jenrick topped the first round of the Tory leader ballot today – as Priti Patel became the first hopeful knocked out. 

The former Cabinet minister secured the most votes from MPs as the contest entered its next phase.

Kemi Badenoch was in second with 22, but barely ahead of James Cleverly on 21. Ms Patel will play no further part after coming last with 14. 

MPs are whittling the numbers down to four before a ‘beauty parade’ at party conference in Birmingham at the start of next month.

The figures finally give a clear indication of support for the candidates, after barely half of the 121 politicians still standing after the election rout publicly declared an allegiance.

It comes after the latest poll by the ConservativeHome website found Ms Badenoch is favourite among activists, with 34 per cent support compared to 18 per cent for her nearest rival Mr Jenrick.

There have been claims swirling in Westminster that Mr Jenrick could have stronger backing than many expected 

The latest poll by the ConservativeHome website has found Kemi Badenoch is favourite among activists

The ConHome panel showed 34 per cent support for Ms Badenoch compared to 18 per cent for her nearest rival Mr Jenrick

The party’s plan is for four candidates to make their cases to Tory members at the conference at the start of October.

After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates to be put to activists, with the winner announced on November 2.

There has been disquiet over the extended timetable as it means Mr Sunak responding to the Budget on October 30. 

Several candidates have officially launched campaigns in recent days as MPs returned to Parliament.

Mrs Badenoch, widely tipped as the bookmakers’ favourite, complained at her event that the Tories ‘talked right but governed left’ and ‘acted like Labour’.

Mr Jenrick has focused his campaign on immigration, with a promise to introduce a binding cap on the number of legal migrants and to leave the European Convention on Human Rights.

Tom Tugendhat formally launched his leadership bid yesterday

James Cleverly arriving for his launch with wife Susie on Monday

There has been disquiet over the extended timetable as it means Mr Sunak responding to the Budget on October 30

Former security minister Mr Tugendhat’s pitch is for a reset with the public, based around restoring honesty to politics, while Mr Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, has said his priorities as prime minister would be to boost national security, reduce migration and restore ‘confidence in capitalism’.

Dame Priti promised members she would get the Conservative Party back to its ‘winning ways’ and touted her credentials in cabinet and her work on immigration and policing.

Mr Stride has not held a launch event, but has made frequent appearances speaking to broadcasters during the early weeks of the contest.