Rishi Sunak has committed to remaining the leader of the Conservative Party until a clear process is established for selecting his replacement following the party’s historic electoral defeat.
None of the 121 Conservative MPs have confirmed their intentions to run in the upcoming leadership contest. Jeremy Hunt, a two-time leadership contender, has reportedly opted out of the race, stating that his time has passed. As the party prepares for its leadership election, several potential candidates may consider throwing their hats into the ring. Some possible contenders include.
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Kemi Badenoch
As a former business secretary, she is regarded as a leading contender among the conservative wing of her party, consistently garnering high approval ratings in surveys conducted by Conservative Home, a prominent activist platform.
On election night, the North West Essex MP acknowledged that the Conservatives had lost public trust and urged the party to confront uncomfortable truths.
A vocal Brexiteer, she previously contested the Conservative leadership following Boris Johnson’s resignation, exceeding expectations by finishing fourth despite her relatively low profile. Her tenure as minister for women and equalities has particularly endeared her to the modern conservative right, owing to her stance on trans rights, cementing her status as a party favourite.
Suella Braverman
Suella Braverman, the 44-year-old MP, has not dismissed the possibility of a leadership bid but emphasized the need to scrutinize the factors behind the Conservative Party’s electoral defeat as a more pressing concern than selecting a new leader.
Braverman’s departure from government in late 2023 was marked by controversy, as she was dismissed as home secretary after accusing law enforcement of political bias in handling pro-Palestinian protests.
She continued to attract attention for her stance on the demonstrations, characterizing them as “hate marches” and suggesting that extremists had gained control. This was her second departure from the role, following her resignation in October 2022 over a breach of protocol involving an official document sent from her email.
After leaving office, she frequently criticized Rishi Sunak’s handling of migration and rebelled against his plans to implement the failed Rwanda deportation scheme, a policy she had previously championed.
Braverman had also contested the 2022 leadership race to succeed Boris Johnson but was eliminated in the second round of voting among Conservative MPs. On election night, she apologized on behalf of her party for failing to listen to the public and breaking their promises.
James Cleverly
The Braintree MP, James Cleverly, has not disclosed his plans, stating, “I’ll leave that for the near future,” in an interview with Sky News. With a parliamentary tenure spanning over seven years, Cleverly has held various cabinet positions under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, notably becoming the first black foreign secretary.
Following Suella Braverman’s departure, he assumed the role of home secretary in Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle in November 2023. While in office, Cleverly has faced criticism for several controversial remarks, including advising LGBT football fans to show respect during the Qatar World Cup, denying disparaging comments about Stockton-on-Tees in the Commons, and apologizing for a joke about spiking his wife’s drink at a Downing Street reception.
Priti Patel
Dame Priti Patel, the former Home Secretary, 52, has urged the Conservative Party to reflect and reassess following their electoral defeat. First elected as an MP in 2010, Patel served under Theresa May as international development secretary but resigned due to controversy surrounding unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials.
During her tenure as Home Secretary under Boris Johnson, she introduced a points-based immigration system, negotiated returns agreements with Albania and Serbia, and signed a contentious deal with Rwanda to deport asylum seekers.
However, her time in office was marked by criticism, including a public dispute with England footballers overtaking a knee and an inquiry finding her violating ministerial conduct rules, which she strongly denied. Patel resigned as home secretary after Liz Truss assumed leadership of the Conservative Party.
Tom Tugendhat
Tom Tugendhat, the outgoing security minister, has consistently declined to rule out a potential bid for the party leadership during the election campaign. The 51-year-old Tonbridge MP previously contested the leadership against Liz Truss, positioning himself as a candidate offering a “fresh start” and a means to “bridge the Brexit divide”.
As a former Army officer, Tugendhat is perceived to be aligned with the party’s centrist faction, which may pose a challenge in garnering support from more right-leaning members. Notably, he voted to remain in the EU during the Brexit referendum and was vocal in criticising the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Victoria Atkins
Victoria Atkins, the recently appointed health secretary, has not dismissed the possibility of participating in the leadership race but has emphasized that the focus should not be on individual ambitions. In an interview with BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, she stated, “This weekend is not about leadership aspirations.”
Despite her relatively short tenure in the cabinet, Atkins is considered a potential candidate from the party’s moderate faction. The 48-year-old has served as the MP for Louth and Horncastle in Lincolnshire since 2015 and successfully retained her seat in the general election, although her majority significantly decreased.
Robert Jenrick
Robert Jenrick, 42, attributed the Conservative Party’s “devastating” general election defeat to its failure to fulfil its promises to the public. In an interview on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, he declined to discuss his leadership aspirations, emphasizing the need for the party to conduct a candid assessment of its shortcomings.
“The first step is to have a thorough and honest diagnosis of what went wrong,” he stated. Jenrick previously resigned as immigration minister in 2023, citing the need for “stronger protections” to prevent legal challenges from hindering the government’s Rwanda scheme.
He also made headlines for ordering the removal of cartoon character murals at a Dover reception centre for child asylum seekers. First elected as an MP in 2014, Jenrick served as housing minister under Boris Johnson’s administration.
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