Conservative Party Leadership Contest Narrows to Four

British lawmaker Mel Stride has been eliminated from the Conservative Party leadership race, leaving four contenders. The remaining candidates will present their platforms at the upcoming Conservative Party conference, with the new leader to be announced on November 2. The contest follows a disastrous election loss under current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

British lawmaker Mel Stride became the second candidate to be eliminated from the Conservative Party leadership contest, leaving four contenders in the race following a devastating election loss.

Stride received only 16 votes in Tuesday's ballot, placing last among the five candidates. Former Home Secretary Priti Patel was ejected in an earlier vote.

The remaining candidates -- Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat -- will now present their platforms at the Conservative Party conference in early October. Following that, lawmakers will narrow the field to two candidates, with party members across the country casting their final ballots. The winner will be announced on November 2.

Jenrick, who resigned from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government over immigration policies, leads the pack with 33 votes. He appeals to the party's right wing with a hardline stance on immigration and a proposal to leave the European Convention on Human Rights. Badenoch secured 28 votes, while Cleverly and Tugendhat each garnered 21 votes.

The previous leadership contest in mid-2022 saw members choose Liz Truss over Sunak. Truss resigned after 49 tumultuous days in office, leading to Sunak's current tenure. The party's catastrophic performance under Sunak in July resulted in its worst election outcome since 1832, losing over 200 seats and bringing their total down to 121.

(With inputs from agencies.)