Mel Stride knocked out of Tory leadership race - as Robert Jenrick stays in the lead

Conservative MPs held their second round of voting on Tuesday as they narrowed down the candidates to lead the party.

And the former work and pensions secretary came in last place with just 16 MPs backing him - seeing Mr Stride removed from the next ballot.

Ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick came out on top for a second time - having led the pack in the first round of voting - with 33 votes, followed by ex-business secretary Kemi Badenoch with 28.

Both the former home secretary James Cleverly and former security minister Tom Tugendhat received 21 votes each.

Tweeting after the vote, Mr Stride said he had "really enjoyed the journey" of running for leader, adding: "Our party's values still run deep and strong. In time we will prevail."

The final four contenders will next head to Birmingham for the Tory conference later this month, holding a hustings as they attempt to woo the party faithful.

MPs then have one more vote to cut the field down to two candidates, before the wider membership decides on their winner.

The new leader is then expected to be announced on 2 November.

Could deal be struck to stop the frontrunners?

The latest round of the Conservative leadership race saw outsider Mel Stride drop out.

This leaves four contenders who face many more weeks of debate, with Tory conference the next stage of what is a very, very long process.

Now, all eyes are on the two frontrunners - Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch - both of whom increased their numbers in Tuesday's vote by five and six respectively.

And the question for the bottom two - James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat, who both secured 21 votes - is can they turn the tide?

There is a clear opportunity for the lower pair to do a deal and pool their support to ensure that one of them ends up in the final round.

They are closer politically, more to the centre than their rivals, and would therefore offer a clearer choice to the members when they finally get their say.

This would, of course, mean one agreeing to give way to the other, and in politics, we know that no one gives up power easily.

But if no deal can be struck, nothing short of a conference miracle will stop Badenoch and Jenrick being the last ones standing.

Speaking to Sky News moments after the vote, Mr Jenrick said he was "incredibly grateful" to his backers and those who had listened to his call for "change" in the party.

He said: "I believe the Conservative Party should fiercely defend the things we've got right in office, but we should also be painfully honest about the mistakes that we've made and begin to rebuild the public's trust.

"Whether that's on the economy, the NHS or immigration, the big issues facing our country, the public want to see us learn from our mistakes and then bring forward the serious answers to the big challenges."

Mr Jenrick said there was now a "clear path" for him to make the final two, but added: "There's still a mountain to climb so we won't take anything for granted."

Posting on X, Ms Badenoch thanked her colleagues, saying she was "grateful to be in the top two and to have won the most new votes at this round".

She added: "We need a leader who can cut through in opposition, and defeat Labour and Reform. Most importantly, we need someone with conviction, strength of purpose and the knowledge to rewire our broken political system.

"That's what I'll be showing in Birmingham later this month."

Mr Cleverly also tweeted to say he was "proud to be through to the final four and grateful for the support of my Conservative colleagues", adding: "We must unite our party with Conservative values, and take the fight to Labour. The work continues."

In a statement, Mr Tugendhat said it was "an absolute honour" to get through.

"We have a simple choice," he said. "We can choose someone who has service at their core, who is a proven leader and who acts on their principles, or we can expect more of the same."

But a Labour spokesperson said the leadership list had been "whittled down" to four people who "played key roles in 14 years of chaos and decline", adding: "Their failure to take responsibility for the mess they made, demonstrates that none of these candidates are cut out for the job.

"They've learnt nothing from their mistakes, and as they continue to fight amongst themselves, Labour is getting on with the job of fixing the terrible inheritance they left behind."

Mr Stride is a long-standing ally of Mr Sunak, who was dubbed "the minister for the morning round" during the general election campaign, facing the media more than any of his colleagues.

He served as work and pensions secretary through Mr Sunak's premiership, and has stayed on to shadow the role on the opposition benches.

The Tory MP also had a spell in the Treasury, both as financial secretary and paymaster general, during Theresa May's tenure in Number 10, and went on to chair the Treasury Select Committee between 2019 and 2022.

Before entering the Commons, Mr Stride set up Venture Marketing Group, specialising in trade exhibitions and conferences.

-SKY NEWS