London
Six British lawmakers have announced their candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party. This leadership contest will determine the future direction of the party, whether it leans towards the right or moves towards the political center.
The contenders include former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, who represent the party’s centrist faction. Former Home Secretary Priti Patel and ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch have garnered support from the right-wing segment of the party.
Other contenders such as former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick and veteran lawmaker Mel Stride have also gathered the necessary support of 10 Conservative lawmakers before the deadline on Monday. Kemi Badenoch, who finished third in the party’s previous leadership election in 2022, is considered an early frontrunner. The Nigeria-born lawmaker has echoed the sentiments of Conservative figure Margaret Thatcher, advocating for a renewal of capitalism centered around a smaller state.
Following the party’s recent electoral setback, where votes were lost to both right-wing and left-wing parties, the Conservatives are divided between moderates seeking to appeal to centrist voters and hardliners advocating for stricter migration and law enforcement policies to counter the rise of the Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage.
