Conservative Party contenders will face off at Birmingham rally ahead of final MP and member votes.

Former Cabinet minister Mel Stride has been eliminated from the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party, leaving four candidates vying for the top position. The decision followed a second round of voting among Tory MPs, in which Stride finished last with 16 votes. Those advancing include former immigration minister Robert Jenrick (33 votes), ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch (28 votes), and both ex-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and MP Tom Tugendhat, each with 21 votes.

The remaining contenders will present their policies and vision for Britain at the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Birmingham, where they will participate in debates, answer questions, and deliver key speeches. Further rounds of MP voting on October 9 and 10 will reduce the candidates to a final two, who will then face a vote by party members.

Party members eligible to vote must have at least 90 days of active membership by the ballot’s closing on October 31, with the final result to be revealed on November 2. The leadership contest is under the oversight of Bob Blackman, chair of the 1922 Committee.

James Cleverly gained momentum earlier with endorsements from MPs Greg Smith and Sir Alec Shelbrooke, both of whom had previously supported Dame Priti Patel prior to her first-round elimination. As the race intensifies, dozens of Tory MPs are yet to publicly reveal their chosen candidates. Stride, who advocated for keeping the party anchored in the political centre ground, fell short in both rounds of voting, signaling a narrowing path for moderate positions within the leadership race.