Kemi Badenoch gains ground in Tory leadership race after Mel Stride"s exit

Kemi Badenoch has regained momentum in the Tory leadership race following the elimination of Mel Stride. In the second round of voting, Robert Jenrick led with 33 votes, while Badenoch secured 28, and both James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat received 21 votes each. Stride, with the lowest votes at 16, was automatically removed from the contest. The remaining candidates will participate in the upcoming Conservative party conference in Birmingham, where they will deliver speeches to party members. Badenoch expressed gratitude for her position in the top two and aims to demonstrate her leadership qualities during the conference. Jenrick emphasized the need for the Tory party to acknowledge past mistakes and address current challenges. Cleverly and Tugendhat also shared their sentiments about the competition and praised Stride's campaign. The leadership contest has been marked by controversies, particularly surrounding Jenrick's previous comments and actions regarding immigration policies and the European Convention on Human Rights. His hardline stance has positioned him as a leading candidate among the Tory right-wing, while Badenoch has focused on cultural issues, reigniting debates over trans rights. As the race progresses, MPs will soon decide which candidates will advance to the final two, with the party's rank-and-file members ultimately making the final choice for the new leader, set to be announced on November 2. The outcome of this contest will significantly impact the future direction of the Conservative party.