With Tory MPs poised to vote in the next round of their party leadership contest, Mirror readers have decided who they think will become next leader of the opposition.
Last week, Priti Patel became the first candidate to be knocked out of the race to replace Rishi Sunak. Now, just five remain for the job – Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride.
The next round of voting will see the field whittled down to four this week. The remaining finalists will then set out their stalls to Tory members at the party’s conference at the start of October. After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for party members to choose between, with the result announced on November 2.
‘The Tories are totally irrelevant’
Many of you commented on our original story, here’s just a selection of what some of you had to say:
Clawdia: “It doesn’t matter who leads. (The Tories) haven’t understood that their ideas have all failed. They are still flogging the same dead horse and are totally irrelevant.”
Miarod: “Just think about the majority that they (The Tories) won in 2019 … those votes were mostly for Boris. Now they are reduced to this. The Tories aren’r really fit to run the proverbial in a brewery and the Conservative party is a total laughing stock.”
LynxVegas: “Tom is the least worst. Looking at past leaders – children of immigrants, women, public school educated – all have failed. Is there a poor, working class, comp school, lives in social housing option? They might be better than anyone the Tories have suggested so far.”
Ropic: “If that’s the best that the Tory party can muster, then thankfully that’s the final nails in the coffin.”
Freewheeling: “I wanted Priti Patel. ‘Cenrtists’ are not centrists … we’d be lucky if Sirkey was left of centre.”
Here’s how Mirror readers voted in our poll asking who will be the next Tory leader:
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5. Mel Stride: 40 votes
In last place in our poll was committed Sunak ally Mel Stride. His numerous media appearances made him a prominent face of the Tory campaign leading up to the 2024 electoral nightmare, in which he kept his Central Devon seat by merely 61 votes.
In his bid for the Conservative leadership, Stride is emphasising unity and highlighting his experience in roles focused on collaboration, such as Commons leader and chair of the Treasury select committee. Remainer Stride was first elected as an MP in 2010.
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4. James Cleverly: 125 votes
In fourth was the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring. James Cleverly has highlighted his vast experience in senior ministerial roles. He has been both home secretary and foreign secretary under the Sunak and Truss administrations, and served as education secretary and Conservative chair under Boris Johnson.
Frequently entrusted with conveying the government’s message to the media, Cleverly is presenting himself as a centrist with wide appeal. He has, however, critiqued the right wing of his party. Brexiter Cleverly has been an MP for Braintree since 2015.
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3. Tom Tugendhat: 141 votes
In third, Tom Tugendhat was appointed security minister in Rishi Sunak’s government following a strong bid for the Tory leadership two years ago. His campaign at the time drew a firm line in the sand to distance himself from the increasingly chaotic Johnson cabinet.
A Tory centrist and former reserve officer with service in Afghanistan and Iraq, Tugendhat has been an MP for Tonbridge since 2015 and has gained prominence for his work on foreign policy. He chaired the foreign affairs select committee from 2017 to 2022 and has been particularly vocal on issues concerning China.
Remainer Tugendhat said in his leadership campaign he might consider withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights, a proposal some viewed as an attempt to court right-wing support.
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2. Kemi Badenoch: 209 votes
In second place, Kemi Badenoch is among the frontrunners thanks to a well-rounded campaign and strong support from grassroots members. This marks her second attempt at the leadership, having previously finished fourth in the contest to replace Borish Johnson two years ago.
During her tenure in government as business secretary and minister for women and equalities, Badenoch has gained prominence for her stance on gender and cultural issues, including advocating for changes to the Equality Act.
Remainer Badenoch has vowed to rejuvenate the beleaguered Tories by 2030 and address the challenge posed by Reform UK. She is MP for North West Essex.
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1. Robert Jenrick: 335 votes
Mirror readers think immigration hard-liner Robert Jenrick will become the next Tory leader. Initially seen as a typical centrist Conservative MP – even earning the nickname ‘Robert Generic’, the MP for Newark has undergone a remarkable transformation into a much-favoured figure of the Tory right, overtaking Braverman and attracting many of her supporters.
After being appointed by Sunak to the Home Office in 2022, Jenrick swiftly began embracing an increasingly tough stance on immigration. So much so that by the time he resigned last December, he was calling on the Prime Minister to adopt a tougher approach. A Remainer, Jenrick is expected to make immigration a central focus of his campaign.
There’s still time to take our poll:
If you can’t see the poll, click here