Mel Stride knocked out of Tory leadership race as Robert Jenrick firms up top spot
Mel Stride has been eliminated from the Tory leadership race
PA
Former Work & Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has been knocked out of the race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.
Stride languished behind the remaining four candidates, with just 16 MPs supporting the Central Devon MP.
Ex-Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick retains his place at the top of the Tory pile with the backing of 33 MPs, up five.
Despite concerns about vote lending stifling Kemi Badenoch's momentum, the Shadow Housing Secretary remains Jenrick's nearest challenger.
Mel Stride has been eliminated from the Tory leadership racePABadenoch, who is considered the fan-favourite among grassroots Tories, saw her support surge by six MPs to take her to 28.
James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat have been left in a neck-and-neck position on 21 MPs.
However, Cleverly's support was unchanged and Tugendhat received a four vote boost.
Cleverly's unchanged support comes as a slight surprise after he woke up to endorsements from former Priti Patel supporters Greg Smith and Sir Alec Shelbrooke.
Mel Stride is the second candidate to be eliminated from the Tory leadership contest
PAJenrick, Badenoch, Tugendhat and Cleverly will now head to Tory Party conference for a so-called "beauty parade" in front of Conservative members.
MPs will whittle down the remaining four to just two candidates shortly after members leave the conference hall in Birmingham.
The next Tory leader looks set to be confirmed on November 2, just after Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to unveil a series of tax-hiking measures in her maiden Budget.
Despite 1922 Committee chairman Bob Blackman enforcing a yellow card system, frontrunners Badenoch and Jenrick have already clashed ahead of Tory Party conference.
Robert Jenrick won the most votes from MPs during the second round of voting
PABadenoch's allies have accused Jenrick's team of lending votes to other leadership hopefuls ahead of delegates descending on Birmingham.
However, one-in-three Shadow Cabinet Ministers have come out to support Badenoch's bid to succeed Sunak.
The latest Conservative Home poll suggested Badenoch would comfortably beat Jenrick in a head-to-head contest, with 51 per cent supporting the ex-Business Secretary and just 34 per cent backing the former Immigration Minister.
But Savanta is suggesting Cleverly is the most popular with the public, with Tugendhat garnering wider support than Badenoch and Jenrick.
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