Skip to main content
Gifts from The Morning Star
Jenrick heads Tory leadership poll
Robert Jenrick speaking at a Conservative Party leadership campaign event at the QEII Centre in Westminster, London, September 1, 2024

HARD-LINE Tory rightwinger Robert Jenrick topped the poll in the first-round ballot to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party.

But Mr Jenrick, a former immigration minister who recently called for shouting “God is great” to be criminalised, only won 28 votes from the shrunken parliamentary party.

Former home secretary Priti Patel came last with 14 votes and is now out of the contest.

Favourite Kemi Badenoch, an always-angry culture warrior, was runner-up with 22 votes while James Cleverley, another ex-home secretary, won 21.

The two candidates regarded as more moderate, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride, also go forward with 17 and 16 votes respectively.

The second ballot will be held next Tuesday. It is anticipated that many of Ms Patel’s votes may now go to Ms Badenoch.

The four candidates remaining after next week will get the chance to address the Tory Party conference in Birmingham at the end of the month.

Thereafter the 121 Tory MPs will reduce the list further until two candidates remain. 

They will then be balloted on by the Tory Party membership, which is mainly hard-right and elderly.

Rishi Sunak’s successor will finally be revealed on November 2.

As well as his anti-Muslim views, Mr Jenrick is known as an extreme pro-Israel advocate and was found to have breached the law over a planning deal with former porn baron and Tory donor Richard Desmond when a minister.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
President Donald Trump meets with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada
Iran / 19 June 2025
19 June 2025

MPs and campaigners warn Starmer not to join attack on Iran

Campaigners gather in Parliament Square, central London, as Labour MP Kim Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is undergoing a second day of report stage, June 13, 2025
Assisted Dying Bill / 19 June 2025
19 June 2025
Women's rights campaigners in Westminster, London after taking part in a march from the Royal Courts of Justice calling for decriminalisation of abortion, June 17, 2023
Abortion Rights / 18 June 2025
18 June 2025
Similar stories
Conservative Party leadership candidate James Cleverly deliv
Britain / 8 October 2024
8 October 2024
(left to right) Tory leadership candidates, Kemi Badenoch, R
Britain / 2 October 2024
2 October 2024
Robert Jenrick speaking at a Conservative Party leadership c
Britain / 10 September 2024
10 September 2024
Kemi Badenoch speaking at a Conservative Party leadership ca
Britain / 2 September 2024
2 September 2024