Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has been knocked out of the Conservative leadership race in today’s round of voting.
A spokesperson for her campaign said follow the vote: “Kemi began this campaign less than two weeks ago. Today she has come fourth in a very competitive leadership race.
“This is a great achievement and demonstrates the support for her honest politics and vision of change for the country and the Conservative Party. Thank you to everyone who has supported her.”
Badenoch received 59 votes, including an increase of one.
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Liz Truss came third with 86 votes, gaining 15 supporters.
Penny Mordaunt received 92 votes, an increase of 10 supporters.
Rishi Sunak came in first with 118 MPs’ votes, an uptick of 3.
Mordaunt and Truss will now vie for support ahead of a vote in which Sunak’s rival for members’ votes will decided.
Foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat who was knocked out of the contest yesterday offered his congratulations to Badenoch on her campaign: “I’m sorry to see my friend Kemi Badenoch out of the leadership race. She has brought courage and substance to the argument and will add to the future government of the UK.”
Truss’ supporters are pointing to the number of MP votes she picked up in today’s contest.
Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison tweeted: “The momentum is firmly on @trussliz’s side! #LizForLeader.”
International development secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who had been backing Tom Tugendhat has came out to bat for her predecessor, tweeting:
“Pleased to support #LizForleader and encourage colleagues to vote her into final two and members.”
She has been critical of Mordaunt, complaining that other ministerial staff had to “pick up the pieces” over the few months as her attention turned toward a prospective leadership bid.
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