Conservative Leadership Contest: Notable Moments and Unseen Aspects

The Conservative Party has selected a new leader, Kemi Badenoch, nearly four months after experiencing its most significant general election defeat in history. This overview examines notable aspects of the party’s leadership contest. Several prominent party figures did not advance to the leadership contest’s initial stage. The general election resulted in the Tories’ parliamentary representation decreasing to 121 MPs, marking a loss of over 240 seats, including those held by 12 cabinet ministers. Similar to Michael Portillo in 1997, Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, and Gillian Keegan saw their aspirations for party leadership end abruptly after being unseated from Parliament by voters. Among those who retained their positions, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who had been viewed as a key figure for the right, chose not to compete and instead endorsed former immigration minister Jenrick, her former junior colleague at the Home Office. Mel Stride narrowly retained his Central Devon seat on July 4, securing it by 61 votes. Despite possessing the lowest public profile among the six leadership contenders, he had developed a reputation for being a relatively dependable figure during his numerous media appearances throughout the general election. The former work and pensions secretary sought to enhance this image, positioning himself as a unity candidate capable of restoring confidence in the party. In the initial ballot of Tory MPs, he surpassed former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel in votes. However, any perceived “Melmentum” subsequently dissipated, and Stride was eliminated before the campaign progressed from Westminster to Birmingham. Although he would be the subsequent contender to be eliminated, former soldier Tom Tugendhat – a detail he referenced on multiple occasions – unequivocally triumphed in the “merch wars” at the party conference in Birmingham. Engaging merchandise is a customary element of all parties’ annual assemblies, where activists convene to reflect on the year’s developments. In Birmingham, Jenrick’s “We Want Bobby J” baseball caps warrant recognition. Nevertheless, Team Tugendhat surpassed others with souvenir hats, t-shirts, mints bearing his name, tattoos, and even “Tugend-tan,” a fake tan product. Kemi Badenoch, who is accustomed to and typically does not avoid controversy, aimed to resolve a dispute concerning an interview she gave at the conference, where she indicated that maternity pay had “gone too far.” She subsequently informed reporters that she did not believe maternity pay “needs changing at all,” maintaining that her remarks had been “misrepresented” because she was discussing the reduction of business regulations. This clarification came after her leadership rivals had already highlighted her initial comments. Later, at a fringe meeting during the conference, Badenoch humorously suggested that some civil servants were so ineffective they “should be in prison.” This time, she did not distance herself from the comment, acknowledging it as an impromptu joke and embracing her candid communication style. The campaign featured minimal internal “blue-on-blue” confrontations. Bob Blackman, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee responsible for the contest, cautioned candidates that he would issue “yellow cards” to any who publicly assailed a rival. Nevertheless, considerable indignation arose when Jenrick alleged that British special forces were “killing rather than capturing terrorists” due to human rights law restrictions. Tom Tugendhat, who, alongside James Cleverly, has military service, stated he was “angry” at a “very serious accusation” that revealed “a fundamental lack of awareness of military operations, the command chain, and the nature of the law in the armed forces.” James Cleverly echoed this sentiment, asserting, “Our military do not murder people.” Jenrick, however, maintained his assertion. While all candidates were smiling, only two were observed waving to their supporters, and these two were subsequently eliminated by their MP colleagues days later. James Cleverly’s withdrawal from the contest proved to be the most unexpected. A majority of party members seemingly concurred that he prevailed in the speech competition that characterized the final day of the Birmingham conference, advising the party faithful to be “more normal” and to present Conservatism “with a smile.” He then secured a distinct advantage in the Tory MPs’ penultimate ballot, only to be dramatically eliminated 24 hours later during the subsequent vote: Badenoch received 42 votes, Jenrick 41, and Cleverly 37. Gasps were heard in the Commons committee room when the outcome was declared. The precise reasons for this turn of events remain speculative. Tory MPs have occasionally been characterized by some within their own ranks as the “most duplicitous” of electorates. Numerous theories were put forward, but given the secret nature of the ballot, the complete truth will likely remain undisclosed. In contrast to prior Conservative leadership contests, a televised debate among all candidates was absent this time. Badenoch and Jenrick participated in a two-hour special broadcast on GB News, but they did not interact directly. Instead, they appeared individually to address questions from Tory members and viewers watching from home. Proposals for a BBC Question Time special and an event hosted by The Sun did not materialize. Throughout the campaign, Jenrick conducted a greater number of interviews and delivered more speeches than Badenoch. Nevertheless, Badenoch was largely regarded as the frontrunner, and consequently, had more to risk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.