Final two confirmed in Tory leadership race

Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch will battle it out to be the next leader of the Conservative Party after James Cleverly was eliminated from the race.

Tory MPs held a final vote on Wednesday to reduce the field to a final two, who will then go to a ballot of Conservative members.

After picking up 42 votes in the final round of voting, Ms Badenoch re-established herself as the favourite after lagging behind previously.

Robert Jenrick, her close rival on the right, picked up one vote shy of Ms Badenoch, while Mr Cleverly - who was sen as someone who could have united all wings of the party - won the backing of 37 MPs.

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The selection of Ms Badenoch and Mr Jenrick means the Conservative Party is heading towards the right and the immigration will be at the top of the agenda.

Mr Cleverly's elimination from the race came as a surprise after he rallied in the previous round of voting following what was considered to be a strong performance at Conservative Party conference.

Following the result he posted on X: "I'm grateful for the support I've received on this campaign from colleagues, party members and the public.

"Sadly it wasn't to be. We are all Conservatives, and it's important the Conservative Party unites to take on this catastrophic Labour government."

It came after Tom Tugendhat, the former security minister who was running from the centrist wing of the party, was knocked out of the race after receiving the least votes from MPs on Tuesday.

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The party membership vote will close at 5pm on Thursday 31 October. The winner, who will become leader of the party and the Opposition to the Labour government, will be announced on Saturday 2 November.

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