Nigel Farage sticks the boot in on remaining Tory leadership candidates and expects one to ‘fall flat on their face’

"If you want lessons in being Nigel Farage, I promise you, I don't charge that much money for doing it," he quipped, before predicting that Jenrick would face significant opposition from within his own party if elected.

The Tory leadership contest has taken a surprising turn, with James Cleverly eliminated in the final round of MP voting.

Kemi Badenoch secured 42 votes, narrowly beating Robert Jenrick with 41, while Cleverly received 37. This result shocked many, as Cleverly had been the frontrunner following a strong performance at the Conservative Party conference.

Badenoch secured most of the votes, but Farage was scathing in his assessment of the Tory MP, saying: "I'm pretty confident that if it's Kemi Badenoch, she'll fall flat on her face pretty quickly."

The outcome sets the stage for a battle between two candidates from the right wing of the party. Both Badenoch and Jenrick will now face a ballot of Conservative members, with the winner to be announced on 2 November.

Badenoch and Jenrick's positions on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) are likely to dominate the debate. Jenrick advocates for leaving the convention, while Badenoch supports a review with the possibility of exit if necessary.

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The contest has seen fluctuating fortunes for both candidates. Badenoch, initially the favourite, was overtaken by Jenrick in earlier rounds before regaining the lead in the final MP vote.

Both have faced criticism for recent comments. Jenrick's claims about the SAS were disputed by colleagues, while Badenoch had to backtrack on statements about maternity pay and civil servants.

The winner of the leadership contest will face significant challenges in uniting the Conservative Party and implementing their proposed policies after a chastening General Election in July.

Farage predicted that if Jenrick wins, "he might make a brave stab at it on policy, but they'll do for him within a year." This highlights the potential internal opposition, particularly on the ECHR issue.