Mel Stride out as four left in Tory leadership contest

The Conservative leadership contest has been whittled down to four candidates after former cabinet minister Mel Stride was knocked out in a vote of Tory MPs.

The former immigration minister Robert Jenrick finished top with 33 votes, with Kemi Badenoch second on 28 votes.

James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat both got 21 votes each from Tory MPs, leaving Mel Stride with the fewest votes on 16.

There will be further voting after the party’s conference next month, before members pick one of the final two to be the new leader.

The winner will replace former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who stood down as party leader after leading the Conservatives to their worst performance at a general election in July.

There will be oppurtunities to woo Tory MPs at the party's annual conference at the end of September.

An intensive round of hustings and multiple votes will follow the conference from 8 October, lasting three days, until only two candidates are left.

Conservative Party members will then choose which of the final two candidates they want as the new leader, with the result announced on 2 November.

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