Official announcement by the Conservative Party or major news outlets

Jenrick and Badenoch Lead Tory Leadership Race at Conservative Party Conference

Sep 29, 2024, 08:11 AM

The Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham has commenced amidst a leadership race to replace Rishi Sunak. The party is grappling with the aftermath of a historic election defeat, with multiple candidates vying for leadership. Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch have emerged as frontrunners, with Jenrick proposing to slash VAT for small businesses and Badenoch emphasizing her readiness to confront challenges head-on. Jenrick has also criticized party leadership for 'dumbing down' the contest and has called for a shorter leadership race to allow the new leader to respond to the upcoming Budget. Jenrick is up 7 points but Badenoch remains in the lead in the latest ConHome survey. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Theresa May has warned against abandoning the centre ground. Rishi Sunak, who has a higher net approval rating than Labour's Keir Starmer, will address the conference but plans to leave early. The conference features a series of events and discussions, including a landmark report on the party's election defeat and strategies for future success.