Race to Lead Britain's Conservatives Heats Up with Stride and Jenrick

Former ministers Mel Stride and Robert Jenrick have announced their candidacies for the leadership of Britain's Conservative Party after a significant election loss. The leadership contest, involving several candidates, will culminate in a vote by party members, with the new leader announced on November 2.

Former government ministers Mel Stride and Robert Jenrick have entered the race to become the next leader of Britain's Conservative Party, which lost power after 14 years in this month's election. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak announced his resignation as party leader following the historic defeat but will remain as acting leader until a successor is chosen.

Stride, previously the Work and Pensions Secretary and a junior Treasury minister, has served as a member of parliament since 2010. 'I think we have a huge job to do and I think that I'm the right person to put myself forward to do that,' Stride told Sky News on Friday. 'We've got to focus on the future and that is about winning back trust.'

Jenrick, the former immigration minister, updated his biography on X to reflect his candidacy and launched a campaign website. They join former security minister Tom Tugendhat and former foreign minister James Cleverly in the leadership race, with several more candidates expected before the nomination deadline on Monday.

The leadership contest will see the party's elected lawmakers first narrow the field to four candidates who will present their cases at the Conservative Party conference in late September. The pool will then be reduced to two finalists, who will be put to a vote of all party members. The new leader will be announced on November 2.

(With inputs from agencies.)