NOMINATIONS FOR THE role of Tory leader have officially closed with a total of six candidates presenting themselves as would-be saviour of the Conservative Party.

Rishi Sunak, who led the Conservative Party to their worst ever defeat, will remain as leader until a successor is appointed. The new leader will be announced on November 2.

Shadow minister Kemi Badenoch has been the latest MP to throw her hat in the ring, via an op-ed in The Times on Sunday. 

The hopefuls will each need ten MP backers to get to the next stage. 

James Cleverly

First to declare his candidacy, former home secretary Cleverly said that the Conservative Party needs to expand its support base to succeed in future. 

In video posted to X, Cleverly highlighted his credentials – having been both home and foreign secretary, as well as serving as party chairman when the Tories won their landslide victory in the 2019 election.

Speaking as he announced his intention to run, Cleverly said that he could “unite the Conservative Party and overturn Starmer’s loveless landslide”. 

He has been an MP for Braintree since May 2015.

I’m running to be Conservative Party Leader. Here’s why 👇 pic.twitter.com/6eFPMocIyc

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) July 23, 2024

Tom Tugendhat

Now his second attempt at leadership of his shaken party, Tugendhat is a shadow security minister. He is viewed as the most centrist of the candidates. 

He unsuccessfully ran for leadership in 2022, but was eliminated in the third round of voting. Having first entered parliament in 2015, Tugendhat chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee for five years and previously served in the military for a decade.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he indicated that he would be prepared to leave the European Convention on Human Rights if it was necessary to secure the UK’s borders. 

People want their leaders to be straight with them.

No games. No gimmicks.

This is why I’m running to be Leader of the Conservative Party. pic.twitter.com/uXZ22MGebk

— Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) July 25, 2024

Robert Jenrick

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has been a Member of Parliament representing Newark since 2014, then nicknamed “Robert Generic” as he was perceived as a run-of-the-mill MP. He backed a vote to Remain in the EU in 2016, but gradually moved further right.

Jenrick resigned as a minister in December, claiming then-draft legislation designed to revive the controversial Rwanda deportation policy did “not go far enough”.

Nomination form complete! Delighted to propose Robert Jenrick as leader of the Conservative Party. pic.twitter.com/uzHdbkAe6b

— Danny Kruger (@danny__kruger) July 25, 2024

Mel Stride

Veteran MP for Central Devon, Mel Stride has undertaken a variety of roles during his 14 years in parliament, most recently as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from October 2022 to July 2024.

In a post on X at the tail end of his first week on the leadership campaign Stride said: “We must deliver unity and drive change to secure victory. I am the best candidate to do that”.

In the recent general election, Stride hung onto his seat by 61 votes.He is regarded as being more moderate than several of his fellow Conservatives in the race.

Former cabinet minister Mel Stride has become the fourth Conservative to enter the contest to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.

He told #BBCBreakfast why he is the right person for the jobhttps://t.co/0ouam0qixD pic.twitter.com/8k0YuKxwc1

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 26, 2024

Priti Patel 

Priti Patel is a longstanding Eurosceptic who has cited Margaret Thatcher as her inspiration to join the Conservative Party. She became an MP in 2010 and has served as international developmental secretary and home secretary.

She was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign, and as home secretary signed the agreement with Rwanda to send asylum seekers to the country.

She resigned as home secretary after Liz Truss took over the role of Tory leader. 

I am standing to be the new Leader of the Conservative Party.

🇬🇧We must Unite to Win!🇬🇧

I can lead us in opposition and unite our party and get us match fit for the next election, with unity, experience and strength. #UnitewithPriti #UnitetoWinhttps://t.co/40VhD95mj3

— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) July 27, 2024

Kemi Badenoch 

The last candidate to announce her leadership campaign, Kemi Badenoch entered the race with a pledge to bring the Tories back into government by 2030.

In an op-ed for The Times, Badenoch wrote: “Today my campaign is launching with an explicit focus on renewing our part for 2030 – the first full year we can be back in government and the first year of a new decade.”

This is her second attempt at leadership. In 2022, she came fourth in a vote on the successor of Boris Johnson. She was elected to represent the constituency of Saffron Walden between 2017 and 2024.

In July, she was elected to represent North West Essex following a boundary change. She has served as Secretary of State for Business and Trade from 2023 to 2024, and President of the Board of Trade and as Minister for Women and Equalities from 2022 to 2024. 

🚨Our party needs to renew and so today I announced my candidacy to lead the Conservative Party, in the Times https://t.co/CpWZ3LqJ2e.

To find out more including about the official launch in September please sign up at https://t.co/tYp2DRlI6n ✍️ pic.twitter.com/kyEetVEC4T

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 29, 2024

Includes reporting by Press Association.