UK politics live: Cleverly knocked out in huge Tory leadership shock to set up Badenoch and Jenrick clash
Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick locked in final battle to replace Rishi Sunak as new leader
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In a shocking turn of events, James Cleverly has been eliminated of the Tory leadership race, leaving Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch to face a vote of the party membership.
The ex-home secretary was in a leading position to make it through the latest stage after leapfrogging former frontrunner Mr Jenrick to first place on Tuesday.
But Tory MPs decided to knock him out after Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister and favourite of the One Nation caucus of Tory MPs, also lost the race on Tuesday.
Ms Badenoch emerged as the frontrunner in the final vote, securing 42 votes from MPs and positioning herself as strong contender to succeed Rishi Sunak.
Mr Jenrick closely trailed behind with 41 votes, while Mr Cleverly’s campaign took a dramatic downturn result with just 37 votes.
The final two MPs will now face an online ballot of Tory members from 10 to 31 October, with the winner of the contest announced on 2 November.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer faced a grilling from Rishi Sunak in his first PMQs since reshuffling his Downing Street leadership team, after Sue Gray’s shock exit as his chief of staff.
Poll: James Cleverly tops Keir Starmer as next prime minister
James Cleverly has convinced the public as a viable future prime minister, a poll has revealed.
According to Ipsos, 21 per cent of Britons believe he stands the best chance of leading the nation if he secures the Conserve Party leadership.
This marks a notable 7-point increase since late September, just prior to the party conference.
In contrast, Robert Jenrick trails significantly at 10 per cent, while both Kemi Badenoch and eliminated rival Tom Tugendhat garner only 7 per cent each.
The key dynamic here appears to be a shift among those previously undecided, the number expressing uncertainty has dropped by 6 per cent, while those backing Mr Cleverly has risen by 7 per cent.
But despite his rise, a substantial 27 per cent of respondents remain unsure about the leadership race, and a 28 per cent believe none of the candidates currently have the markings of a prime minister.
Private school VAT raid facing legal action as ministers poised to introduce concessions for military
The government’s private school VAT raid is facing yet more problems, as three private Christian schools and a group of parents are set to launch a court challenge to the plan.
This comes as ministers are poised to provide concessions to military families, with the Treasury reportedly considering exemptions to the tax hike amid growing concern about the impact of the policy on service personnel.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story below:
Private school VAT raid could include exemptions for military families
The Treasury is said to be considering exemptions amid growing concern about the impact of the policy on service personnel
Downing Street was a ‘crack den' when I got there, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has defended the costly refurbishment of his Downing Street residence, declaring it was essential because the official living quarters looked like a “crack den”.
Speaking during a promotional tour for his latest book Unleashed, the former prime minister addressed the controversy surrounding the renovations that reportedly cost over £112,000, above the taxpayer-funded limit of £30,000.
“The whole thing looked like a crack den, to be totally honest with you,” Mr Johnson said in an interview with LBC.
The refurbishment, led by high-profile designer Lulu Lyle, drew criticism not only for its lavish expense but also for claims that Conservative donor David Brownlow had partially funded the project.
The financial arrangement led to the Conservative Party facing a £17,800 fine from the Electoral Commission for failing to declare the donations appropriately.
Kemi Badenoch thanks Iain Duncan Smith for endorsement
In a significant boost for Kemi Badenoch’s leadership bid, former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith publicly endorsed her as the next party head.
It comes just hours before MPs cast their votes to narrow the leadership contest from three candidates down to the final two.
Sir Iain urged for a new leader to restore the party’s central values and core beliefs, insisting that Ms Badenoch is uniquely positioned to fulfil this role.
The shadow secretary thanked him after the endorsement.
Labour’s worker rights bill can win over Tory and Reform voters, says union
Labour has a unique opportunity to attract disenchanted Tory and Reform voters with its ambitious overhaul of worker’s rights, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
As the government prepares to unveil the new legislation aimed at granting new rights to seven million workers, trade union leaders held a meeting with ministers on Tuesday.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak emphasised the widespread appeal of Labour’s proposals, insisting that “after 14 years of stagnating living standards, people desperately want secure jobs”.
He criticised the Conservative government’s low-pay economy and highlighted the urgent need for a shift towards better working conditions.
The forthcoming bill promises a comprehensive transformation of employment rights, including new provisions for maternity leave and sick pay from day one, end zero-hours contracts and a ban on fire-and-rehire practices.
Starmer has ruled out biggest benefit to UK from EU reset, think tank
Sir Keir Starmer has already squandered the biggest potential dividends of his post-Brexit reset with the EU by ruling out a return to the single market and customs union, a report has warned.
The prime minister has repeatedly talked up his push to rebuild ties with the bloc after years of acrimony under successive Tory governments, promising that doing so will boost economic growth and living standards.
Our politics correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story below:
Starmer has already ruled out biggest benefit to UK from EU reset, think tank warns
PM has repeatedly talked up his push to rebuild ties with the bloc after years of acrimony under successive Tory governments
WATCH | Minister denies reports Labour ‘personally intervened’ to provide blue-light escort for Taylor Swift
Culture secretary denies Labour ‘personally intervened’ to provide Taylor Swift
The culture secretary has denied reports that Labour “personally intervened” to provide a blue-light escort for Taylor Swift during her Wembley tour dates. A report in The Sun newspaper claims that top Labour politicians have been accused of pressing the police to give the pop star the same blue-light escort given to senior members of the royal family. Appearing on Sky News Breakfast on Wednesday (9 October), culture secretary Lisa Nandy denied the reports. She said: “When you have a major event, the home secretary will be involved in a conversation where there is a security risk. “I also know she doesn’t have the power nor would she use it to insist that any individual got the top level of private security arrangements. That is an operational matter for the police, not the government.”
Robert Jenrick doubles down on Special Air Service claims
Conservative leadership contender Robert Jenrick has reiterated his belief that human rights regulations are constraining the Special Air Service (SAS) and compromising public safety.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Jenrick claimed that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) limits the decision-making abilities of military planners.
Defending his position, he said: “The ECHR and our human rights apparatus is limiting the discretion of military planners when they come to decide how to conduct operations overseas and in some cases, it is leading them to do things like a lethal drone strike rather than sending in men and women on the ground.
“And I think that’s wrong. I want to ensure that those in charge of operations have the greatest discretion possible.
“I was supporting our special forces, not suggesting that they would act outside of the law.”
He added: “We can’t allow human rights to get in the way of keeping the public safe.”
Jenrick warns Tory leadership decision to ‘seal party’s fate'
Robert Jenrick has warned Conservative MPs voting this afternoon that the party risks being “stuck in the political wilderness for years” if it mishandles the contest.
In a final appeal for support ahead of today’s crucial vote on Sky News, the former immigration minister urged members to choose the right candidate.
After finishing second in yesterday’s ballot, Mr Jenrick found himself in a precarious position, barely edging out Kemi Badenoch, while James Cleverly surged ahead in first place.
With Tory MPs poised to cast their decisive votes this afternoon, only two candidates will advance to the final round.
Speaking on the morning media round, he said: “The polling suggests that of the candidates I am the best placed to win back the millions of voters we lost to Reform and the voters we lost on our Left to the Lib Dems.
“If we don’t do that then there is no future for our party and we will be stuck in the political wilderness for years to come.
“So the party needs now somebody who is professional, who is competent and is focused on the most salient issues.”
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