TOM Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick have thrown their hats in the ring to replace Rishi Sunak as the race for the Tory party leader heats up.
The battle for the future of the Conservative Party officially began on Wednesday night with the opening of nominations in the contest following the Tories’ worst general election result, with James Cleverly already throwing his hat in the ring.
Tugendhat talked up his experience as former security minister and former member of the armed forces as he launched his bid, telling GB News he has a “track record of delivery” for the British people.
He said he was willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and denied that his change of tone on the matter was political opportunism.
READ MORE: John Swinney can do what Keir Starmer failed to do with two-child cap
“No, I’ve been very, very clear I am prepared to make any decision that will keep the British people safe,” he said.
“I am prepared to leave the ECHR, or indeed any other institution that doesn’t serve the interests of the British people.”
He said he believed he could turn around the Tories’ disastrous result to win an election as leader of the Conservative Party in five years’ time but that the party needs to “be united” and “regain the trust of the British people”.
Robert Jenrick
Jenrick’s campaign team said the ex-immigration minister has gathered enough support to run and that he would submit his nomination on Thursday morning.
His campaign manager Danny Kruger said: “To have any path back to government we must win back those voters we have lost, across the board but particularly to Reform. At the same time we have to bring our party together, united behind one set of coherent Conservative principles.”
He said Jenrick has the “energy, temperament and policy agenda to take on our rivals and lead us back to power in five years.”
A long and potentially divisive campaign will eventually produce a winner on November 2.
Tugendhat, who is viewed as a moderate within the Conservative ranks, insisted there was little to separate him from his rivals on the right on key issues.
Writing in the Telegraph, he denied the party would be split by the contest, because on key issues including the ECHR, gender, taxes, defence and net zero all Tories shared the same “common sense” views.
READ MORE: Gaelic language in Scotland is in ‘perilous state’, MSPs warn ministers
“We know that if institutions do not serve the British people and make it harder to control our own borders, then we will have to exempt ourselves from them, or leave their jurisdiction,” he said.
“We know what a woman is. We all want lower taxes. We all know national security must come before Treasury spreadsheets. We all know that energy security and household bills come first.
“These are common sense Conservative positions. They are non-negotiable for me and, I would hope, for anyone else who puts themselves forward.”
The Telegraph said Tugendhat wants to see reform of the ECHR and could back withdrawing from certain aspects where it is necessary, to remove illegal migrants.
Jenrick has also argued for the UK to leave the ECHR, as has former home secretary Suella Braverman.
Shadow communities secretary Kemi Badenoch, the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Sunak, has previously said the option of leaving the ECHR is “definitely something that needs to be on the table”.
Braverman and Badenoch are both expected to put themselves forward for the Tory leadership, as are former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride and ex-home secretary Priti Patel.
The Conservatives were reduced to just 121 seats as Sunak’s premiership ended in electoral disaster.
Former home secretary Cleverly (above) said the party’s MPs “have to get out of that habit” of “rowing amongst ourselves”, which he said gave the British people the wrong impression that they were more interested in themselves than serving the public.
He said the Conservative Party needs to “expand our base of support”, but when asked about a recent poll suggesting around half of Tory members are in favour of joining forces with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, he said the party “doesn’t do mergers”.
According to polling by Savanta carried out between July 19 and 21, Tugendhat is the most popular potential contender among both the public, at minus three points, and 2024 Conservative voters, at 21 points.
Patel is the least popular, at minus 28 points and seven points respectively, according to the research.
Cleverly is second in the running, Savanta’s findings suggest, at minus nine points with the public and 19 points among 2024 Conservative voters.
Nominations will close at 2.30pm on Monday and contenders need a proposer, seconder and eight other backers to stand.
The parliamentary party will then narrow the field down to four, who will make their case at the Conservative Party Conference, which runs from September 29 to October 2.
The final two, picked by the parliamentary party, will then go to a vote of Conservative Party members in an online ballot that will close on October 31 with the result announced on November 2.
LibDem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said the likely runners and riders were “a collection of failed ministers” and “it’s like a group of arsonists asking for a new box of matches”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel