UK politics live: Tories begin latest leadership vote after cutting Starmer’s poll lead
Conservative members suggest James Cleverly is new favourite to challenge Robert Jenrick for top job
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Today marks a critical day in the race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, with Conservative MPs set to eliminate one of the four remaining candidates.
Following a morning hustings, MPs started to cast their votes this afternoon, cutting the field down to three ahead of another vote on Wednesday.
James Cleverly has been tipped as the frontrunner, bolstered by a key endorsement from former rival Mel Stride and a well-received speech at last week’s party conference, urging members to “sell Conservatism with a smile”.
His competitors, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick, are scrambling to secure the crucial 16 votes that became available after Mr Stride’s exit in the last round.
In a dramatic twist, the Conservatives have narrowed Labour’s lead to just one point, raising alarms for Sir Keir Starmer’s party months after its sweeping election victory.
The latest More in Common poll revealed the party now sits at 29 per cent, down one percentage point, while the Tories have gained two points, reaching 28 per cent.
This represents the smallest lead Labour has seen since the pollster began tracking voting intentions last year.
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UK population sees record surge as migration outpaces natural growth
The UK has recorded its most significant annual population increase since 1971, according to latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
in the year leading up to June 2023, the population grew by one per cent, marking the largest annual rise since record-keeping began.
This growth, estimated at 68,265,200 residents, has been primarily driven by net international migration, which reached around 677,300 for the same period.
This influx has overshadowed a concerning trend; for the first time in nearly five decades, deaths outnumbered births outside the Covid-19 pandemic, with an estimated 16,300 more deaths than births reported.
Professor Sarah Harper, director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, said the negative natural change is “not unexpected”.
She said: “Given the low childbearing rate currently in the UK, and the large post-war birth cohorts who have benefited from longer lives now entering old age, the number of deaths we expect will increase each year over time as this generation of older adults ages and dies.”
Watch: Boris Johnson squirms as he gives Brexit success mark out of 10
ICYMI: Labour poll lead over Tories slashed to one point
Labour’s polling lead has fallen to just one point after a rocky start to Sir Keir Starmer’s time in government.
The latest polling comes despite the prime minister attempting to draw a line under the disorder by accepting the resignation of his chief of staff Sue Gray.
The survey, conducted by More in Common for Politico, put Labour on 29 per cent and the Conservative Party on 28 per cent.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story below:
Labour poll lead over Tories slashed to one point
Freebies row, Sue Gray downfall and Budget delay see Starmer ratings tumble
Poll: Cleverly rises in Tory leadership race after strong conference performance
James Cleverly has surged ahead of Robert Jenrick, according to a post-conference survey by Conservative Home.
The poll indicates that the former home secretary has gained traction in both first preferences among party members and in a potential final face-off.
Analysis revealed that Mr Cleverly was the standout candidate at the recent Birmingham conference, with over half of respondents expressing a greater likelihood of supporting him, while only 14 per cent reported the opposite.
In contrast, other contenders, including Mr Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat, saw a notable decline in support.
Kemi Badenoch managed to maintain a stable position, with about a third of Tory members remaining neutral regarding their support for her.
Despite losing media attention due to a controversy over her comments on maternity pay, she faced only minor repercussions.
‘Prisons on the brink’: Lord Timpson blames Tories for crisis
Lord James Timpson, minister of state for prisons has issued a stark warning about the state of the prison system.
He blamed the turmoil to the previous government’smismanagement. Speaking at the prison Governor’s association conference in Nottingham, Mr Timpson described the system as “teetering disaster” due to years of overcrowding and inadequate resources.
“It has not been easy to rehabilitate offenders in a system teetering on disaster,” he added.
He revealed that emergency measures had to be implemented to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order.
Highlighting recent public disorder as evidence of the system’s fragility, he claimed: “We came dangerously close to running out of prisons entirely.
“The last government allowed prisons to run so hot for so long, it was nothing short of a disgrace. We had no choice but to introduce emergency measures. To attempt to delay any further would have allowed our justice system to collapse.”
WATCH: Boris Johnson says his Downing Street apartment resembled a ‘crack den’
Boris Johnson says his Downing Street apartment resembled a ‘crack den’
Boris Johnson claimed the inside of his Downing Street apartment resembled a "crack den" before its refurbishment. The former prime minister defended his reported £200,000 refurb during an interview with LBC on Tuesday (8 October), insisting it “wasn’t as much as that”. Mr Johnson said: “Frankly, once I pulled the carpets out of the flat in number 11, which is where we lived, because Dylan was then in the stages of being — the whole thing was looking a bit like a crack den to be totally honest, and it needed to be refurbished.”
Tugendhat calls for party transformation as Tory MPs face critical choice
In a fervent appeal for support, Tom Tugendhat has urged Tory MPs to prioritise “change over continuity” as the race to succeed Rishi Sunak intensifies.
With four candidates remaining, including Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick, Mr Tugendhat cited the need for a leader who resonates with the broader electorate rather than just the party base.
Posting on X, he warned that clinging to “the same old battles” would yield the same disappointing outcomes.
Mr Tugendhat added: “We [must] choose somebody who can speak to the whole country, who can actually make our message heard and who doesn’t just make us feel good in the room but makes us heard in the country.”
Pictured: Cabinet ministers in Downing Street for meeting
Louise Haigh teases major update on HS2
Transport secretary Louise Haigh has hinted that the long-anticipated High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line could potentially extend into central London.
In an interview with Times Radio, Ms Haigh suggested that an announcement regarding the project’s future would be forthcoming.
When asked about the feasibility of terminating the line at Euston, she replied: “It certainly would never have made sense to leave it between Old Oak Common and Birmingham.”
Asked if the announcement may come on 30 October, the date of the Budget, she added: “It may be made around those decisions.”
James Cleverly admits ‘mistake’ in declaration of freebies
Tory leadership contender James Cleverly has openly acknowledged a “mistake” in declaring gifts he received while attending high-profile sporting events.
Over the weekend, it was revealed that he attended both Wimbledon and the Women’s World Cup final with his wife, Susannah, without properly declaring expenses.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Mr Cleverly said: “James has always been fully transparent with any gifts and hospitality received.
“On this case there was a mistake in the declaration and we have contacted the FCDO to ask them to rectify it.”
This incident comes after Sir Keir Starmer faced backlash over tens of thousands of pounds in freebies since assuming his role.
The prime minister has since returned £6,000, which includes the cost of four tickets to Taylor Swift’s recent Eras Tour.
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