Public Favors Tugendhat for Tory Leadership

James Cleverly has emerged as the frontrunner in the Conservative Party leadership contest, according to a recent Techne poll of party members. The shadow home secretary garnered 26 percent support, placing him ahead of Dame Priti Patel, who received 20 percent. Kemi Badenoch followed with 14 percent, while Tom Tugendhat, Robert Jenrick, and Mel Stride received 11, 10, and 4 percent, respectively. The poll, conducted between August 2 and 12, marks the first significant survey since the leadership race commenced at the end of July. As the contest progresses, Conservative MPs will narrow the candidates down to two through a series of votes in September and October, with the final decision to be made by party members by November 2. Cleverly demonstrated strong support in head-to-head matchups against other candidates, defeating Patel 45-39 percent and winning decisively against Tugendhat and Stride by margins of 54-23 and 59-15, respectively. In contrast, Tom Tugendhat has emerged as the most popular candidate among the general public. A separate YouGov poll for The Times revealed that Tugendhat holds the highest net favourability rating among the leadership contenders, at -12, surpassing even Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who scored -14. Other candidates, including Cleverly and Patel, received lower ratings, with Patel notably at -52. The dynamics of the race have shifted since the beginning, as Jenrick, initially seen as a frontrunner, has fallen behind in both party member and public support. The evolving landscape of the contest highlights the contrasting appeal of candidates within the party and among the electorate.