2024 Conservative Party leadership election
British leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak
A Conservative Party leadership election was announced on 5 July 2024 when then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his plans to resign as Conservative leader after the party's defeat at the 2024 general election.[1][2]
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The leadership race began on 24 July and lasted for over three months, with Rishi Sunak's replacement being confirmed on 2 November.[2]
On 9 October 2024, after James Cleverly was eliminated on the fourth ballot, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick advanced to the final round of the election.[3]
Badenoch won the head-to-head and was elected Conservative leader on 2 November 2024.
Timetable
change| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 24–29 July | Nomination period; potential candidates must gather the support of ten fellow Conservative MPs to qualify for the first MPs' ballot.[4] |
| 4 and 10 September | Conservative MPs vote in two ballots to reduce to four candidates.[2] |
| 29 September – 2 October |
The Conservative Party Conference takes place, where each of the four remaining leadership hopefuls give a speech.[2] |
| 8 and 9 October | Conservative MPs vote in two more ballots, where candidates are reduced to two finalists.[5] |
| 10–31 October | An online ballot of the final two candidates takes place for all Conservative party members.[2] |
| 2 November | The result of the ballot is announced, and the winner subsequently becomes the leader of the Conservative Party.[2] |
Candidates
changeThe following announced their leadership campaigns in the election.
| Candidate | Constituency | Current office | Former offices | Campaign | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The following candidates advanced to the final round of voting. | |||||
 Kemi Badenoch |
MP for North West Essex (2024–present); Saffron Walden (2017–2024) |
Shadow Housing and Communities Secretary (2024–present) | Business Secretary (2023–2024) Minister for Women and Equalities (2022–2024) International Trade Secretary (2022–2023) |
WebsiteAnnounced: 28 July 2024 |
[6] |
_(cropped).jpg) Robert Jenrick |
MP for Newark (2014–present) | Backbencher | Minister of State for Immigration (2022–2023) Housing and Communities Secretary (2019–2021) |
 WebsiteAnnounced: 25 July 2024 |
[7] |
| The following candidates were eliminated during several ballots of voting. | |||||
 Priti Patel |
MP for Witham (2010–present) | Backbencher | Home Secretary (2019–2022) International Development Secretary (2016–2017) |
 Website Archived 2024-07-31 at the Wayback MachineAnnounced: 27 July 2024 Eliminated: 4 September 2024 |
[8][9] |
.jpg) Mel Stride |
MP for Central Devon (2010–present) | Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary (2024–present) | Work and Pensions Secretary (2022–2024) Chair of the Treasury Select Committee (2019–2022) Leader of the House of Commons (2019) |
Website Archived 2024-08-01 at the Wayback MachineAnnounced: 26 July 2024 Eliminated: 10 September 2024 Endorsed Cleverly |
[10][11] |
 Tom Tugendhat |
MP for Tonbridge (2024–present); Tonbridge and Malling (2015–2024) |
Shadow Minister for Security (2024–present) | Minister of State for Security (2022–2024) Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (2017–2022) |
 Website Archived 2024-07-25 at the Wayback MachineAnnounced: 24 July 2024 Eliminated: 8 October 2024 |
[12][13] |
 James Cleverly |
MP for Braintree (2015–present) | Shadow Home Secretary (2024–present) | Home Secretary (2023–2024) Foreign Secretary (2022–2023) Education Secretary (2022) Party Chair (2019–2020) |
 WebsiteAnnounced: 23 July 2024 Eliminated: 9 October 2024 |
[3][14] |
Declined
changeThe following Conservative Party politicians were seen by commentators as possible candidates for the leadership but declined to stand:
- Victoria Atkins, Shadow Health Secretary (2024–present), Health Secretary (2023–2024), MP for Louth and Horncastle (2015–present)[15][16] (endorsed Jenrick)
- Suella Braverman, Home Secretary (2022, 2022–2023), Attorney General (2020–2022), MP for Fareham and Waterlooville (2024–present); Fareham (2015–2024) and September 2022 leadership candidate[17] (endorsed Jenrick)
- Claire Coutinho, Shadow Energy Secretary (2024–present), Energy Secretary (2023–2024), MP for East Surrey (2019–present)[18] (endorsed Badenoch)
- David Davis, Brexit Secretary (2016–2018), Shadow Home Secretary (2003–2008), MP for Goole and Pocklington (2024–present, formerly Haltemprice and Howden and Boothferry 1987–2024)[19] (endorsed Badenoch)
- Oliver Dowden, Deputy Leader of the Opposition (2024–present), Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2023–2024), MP for Hertsmere (2015–present)[20][21]
- Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2010–2016), Leader of the Conservative Party (2001–2003), MP for Chingford and Woodford Green (1997–present, formerly Chingford 1992–1997)[20][22][23][24][25] (endorsed Badenoch)
- Kevin Hollinrake, Shadow Business Secretary (2024–present), MP for Thirsk and Malton (2015–present)[26] (endorsed Badenoch)
- Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (2024–present), Chancellor of the Exchequer (2022–2024), Foreign Secretary (2018–2019), MP for Godalming and Ash (2024–present, formerly South West Surrey, 2005–2024), 2019 and September 2022 leadership candidate[27]
- Laura Trott, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2024–present), Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2023–2024), MP for Sevenoaks (2019–present)[18][28] (endorsed Badenoch)
Polling
changeMulti-candidate polling
change| Dates conducted |
Pollster | Client | Sample size |
Kemi Badenoch |
James Cleverly | Robert Jenrick | Tom Tugendhat | Mel Stride | Priti Patel | Suella Braverman |
Jeremy Hunt |
Victoria Atkins | Esther McVey | Others | Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3–4 October 2024 | Conservative Home[a] | N/A | 784 | 32% | 25% | 19% | 12% | Eliminated | Eliminated | Did not run | – | 12% | |||
| 20–29 September 2024 | YouGov | Sky News | 802 | 27% | 16% | 24% | 16% | – | 17% | ||||||
| 26–27 September 2024 | Conservative Home[a] | N/A | 812 | 36% | 13% | 25% | 13% | – | 13% | ||||||
| 11–16 September 2024 | Popular Conservatism[b] | N/A | 501 | 34.9% | 6.8% | 38.3% | 5.6% | – | 12.8% | ||||||
| 28 August–4 September 2024 | Popular Conservatism[b] | N/A | 444 | 30.4% | 5.2% | 38.3% | 3.8% | 2% | – | 20.3% | |||||
| 2–3 September 2024 | Conservative Home[a] | N/A | 863 | 34% | 11% | 18% | 13% | 2% | 7% | – | 15% | ||||
| 14–19 August 2024 | Popular Conservatism[b] | N/A | 512 | 28.2% | 4.5% | 28.4% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 17.4% | – | 15.8% | ||||
| 6–15 August 2024 | YouGov | N/A | 903 | 24% | 14% | 12% | 16% | 2% | 11% | – | 19% | ||||
| 2–12 August 2024 | Techne | James Cleverly | 805 | 14% | 26% | 10% | 11% | 4% | 20% | – | 15% | ||||
| 5–8 August 2024 | Conservative Home[a] | N/A | 917 | 33% | 10% | 19% | 10% | 2% | 8% | – | 18% | ||||
| 31 July–5 August 2024 | Popular Conservatism[b] | N/A | 468 | 23% | 5% | 24% | 3% | 2% | 21% | – | 22% | ||||
| 10–11 July 2024 | Conservative Home [a] | N/A | 995 | 26% | 9% | 13% | 13% | – | 3% | 10% | – | 2% | 1% | 7% | 16% |
| July 2024 | YouGov[c] | QMUL and Sussex University | 725 | 31% | 10% | 7% | 15% | – | 6% | 16% | 12% | 2% | – | – | – |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The ConservativeHome Party Members' Survey is a self-selecting panel, not a demographically or geographically weighted poll. The panel is composed of over 3,300 members of the Conservative Party, who receive the survey by email.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sample of party members who responded to a survey issued by the right-wing Popular Conservatism group. The survey did not use an independent polling organisation.
- ↑ 'Don't know' and 'None' removed
Results
change| Candidate | MPs' 1st ballot: 4 September 2024[9] |
MPs' 2nd ballot: 10 September 2024[29] |
MPs' 3rd ballot: 8 October 2024 |
MPs' 4th ballot: 9 October 2024 |
Members' vote: 10–31 October | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | %[a] | Votes | ± | %[a] | Votes | ± | %[a] | Votes | ± | %[a] | Votes | % | |
| Kemi Badenoch | 22 | 18.6 | 28 |  6
|
23.5 | 30 | 2
|
25.2 | 42 | 12
|
34.7 | 53,806 | 56.5 |
| Robert Jenrick | 28 | 23.7 | 33 | 5
|
27.7 | 31 |  2
|
26.1 | 41 | 10
|
33.9 | 41,388 | 43.5 |
| James Cleverly | 21 | 17.8 | 21 | 
|
17.6 | 39 | 18
|
32.8 | 37 | 2
|
30.6 | Eliminated | |
| Tom Tugendhat | 17 | 14.4 | 21 | 4
|
17.6 | 20 | 1
|
16.8 | Eliminated | ||||
| Mel Stride | 16 | 13.6 | 16 |
|
13.4 | Eliminated | |||||||
| Priti Patel | 14 | 11.9 | Eliminated | ||||||||||
| Votes cast | 118 | 97.5 | 119 | 1
|
98.3 | 120 | 1
|
99.2 | 120 |
|
99.2 | 95,194 | 72.8 |
| Abstentions | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 1
|
1.7 | 1 | 1
|
0.8 | 1 |
|
0.8 | ||
| Registered voters | 121 | 100.0 | 121 | 0 | 100.0 | 121 | 0 | 100.0 | 121 | 0 | 100.0 | 131,680 | 100.0 |
Notes
changeReferences
change- ↑ Heale, James (2024-07-11). "Sunak apologises to Tory MPs for election mess". The Spectator. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Conservative party plans to unveil next leader in November". Financial Times. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rogers, Alexandra. "Tory leadership race: James Cleverly knocked out - leaving Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch as final two facing party membership vote". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ↑ Maidment, Jack (2024-07-24). "Politics latest news: Tory MP says he'll nominate Priti Patel as next party leader". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ↑ Pannell, Jack (2024-07-29). "2024 Conservative Party leadership contest". Institute for Government. Archived from the original on 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ↑ "Kemi Badenoch enters Tory leadership race to replace Rishi Sunak". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ↑ Francis, Sam (25 July 2024). "Jenrick becomes third Tory leadership candidate". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ↑ Rayner, Gordon (2024-07-27). "Priti Patel enters Tory leadership race promising to give members more say in policy". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Maidment, Jack (4 September 2024). "Robert Jenrick on top in first round of Tory leadership race as Priti Patel eliminated". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ↑ "Mel Stride to stand in Conservative leadership contest". The Guardian. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ↑ "Mel Stride out as four left in Tory leadership contest". BBC News. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ↑ "Tugendhat joins race to be next Tory leader". BBC News. 2024-07-24. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ↑ "Tugendhat knocked out of Tory leadership race". BBC News. 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ↑ "James Cleverly running for Conservative leadership". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ↑ Holl-Allen, Genevieve (2024-07-07). "Victoria Atkins pitches herself as unity candidate as Tory leadership race speculation rises". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ↑ Martin, Daniel (2024-07-24). "Victoria Atkins: I am not running for Tory leader". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ↑ "Suella Braverman pulls out of Tory leader contest with a parting shot". Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "The Conservative leadership race will be crowded, protracted and likely bitter". Politics.co. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ↑ "Oh for Fox's sake – politicalbetting.com". 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Singh, Hugo Gye, Jane Merrick, Arj (2024-07-07). "Sunak wants to quit within weeks – as Tugendhat, Jenrick and Braverman line up bids". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Cunliffe, Rachel (2024-07-04). "What happens if Rishi Sunak loses his seat?". New Statesman. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ↑ Churchill, David (2024-07-15). "Top Conservatives say party must take time to find new leader". Mail Online. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ↑ Farmer, Michael (2024-07-21). "Sir Iain Duncan Smith should be caretaker leader of the Conservatives". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ↑ Sivier, Mike (2024-07-17). "Will the new Tory leader be Iain Duncan Smith?". Vox Political. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ↑ Burford, Rachael (2024-07-08). "Conservatives in 'no rush' to appoint new leader, says ex-Tory minister". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ↑ "North Yorkshire MP fails in bid to stand for Tory leadership". York Press. 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ↑ Manancourt, Vincent (July 6, 2024). "Jeremy Hunt rules himself out of Tory leadership race". Politico. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ↑ "'We need someone to stop Farage': Tories begin leadership hunt for their saviour". inews. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ↑ Nevett, Joshua (2024-09-10). "Mel Stride out as four left in Tory leadership contest". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-09-10.