Sunak, Truss & Mordaunt Advance to Next Stage of Tory Leadership Race as Badenoch Knocked Out

The result pits Mordaunt against Truss for a place in the final two after Wednesday afternoon's balloting round. But Truss may have the edge as most of Badenoch's supporters, like her, are on the right of the party. The next round of vote will take place on Wednesday, which will leave just two candidates remaining.

Kemi Badenoch has become the latest candidate eliminated from the Tory leadership race.

The former equalities minister could only muster the support of 59 out of 357 fellow Conservative MPs in the fourth round of balloting on Tuesday afternoon, just one more than she managed on Monday evening.

"I'm grateful to my colleagues and the party members who have supported me," Badenoch said after backbench 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady announced the results. "This campaign began less than two weeks ago. What we've achieved demonstrates the level of support for our vision of change for our country and for the Conservative Party."

Rishi Sunak, whose resignation as chancellor of the exchequer helped force Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce his resignation, came out top again, but only increased his vote by three from 115 to 118.

Trade Policy Minister Penny Mordaunt surged by 10 votes to 92, following Europhile candidate Tom Tugendhat's exit on Monday, while jingoistic Foreign Secretary Liz Truss added 15 to her score to reach 86.

"This afternoon colleagues once again put their trust in me and I cannot thank them enough," Mordaunt said after the result was announced. "We are so nearly across the finish line. I am raring to go and excited to put my case to members across the country and win."

She thanked her "friend" Badenoch, who she said "electrified the leadership contest with her fresh thinking and bold policies".

Badenoch backer Lee Anderson, who defected from the Labour Party to be elected as MP for Ashfield in the 2019 general election, lamented that "Some of the members weren't quite brave enough to give her that final push that she needed".

But he insisted that in just a "Kemi will be prime minister of this country," in just "a couple of years time" — around the deadline for the next election to be called.

The result pits Mordaunt against Truss for a place in the final two after Wednesday afternoon's balloting round. But Truss may have the edge as most of Badenoch's supporters, like her, are on the right of the party.

Bookmakers William Hill pegged Truss as evens favourite after Tuesday's vote, just ahead of Sunak on 5/4 and with Mordaunt way behind on 7/1.

The final two candidates will have a little over a month of campaigning before a vote by the wider party membership, with the winner expected to be announced on 5 September.

Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on July 7 he was stepping down as Conservative leader following a wave of resignations from his Cabinet in protest at his scandal-ridden government. Johnson continues to serve as caretaker prime minister until a successor is chosen.