Priti Patel Announces Tory Leadership Bid, Becoming Fifth Candidate
Dame Priti Patel has announced her bid for the Tory party leadership, becoming the fifth Conservative MP to do so. She joins Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly, and Robert Jenrick in the race to succeed Rishi Sunak.
In a statement, she declared, “I am running to lead the Conservative Party. We must come together to secure victory! I have the experience and strength to lead us in opposition and prepare us for the next election.”
She emphasized the need for strong leadership to unite the disparate factions within the party and harness the talent pool of Conservative members to tackle challenges that other parties cannot.
Dame Priti stressed the importance of rebuilding trust with an electorate that has lost faith in the party, urging a reflection on past mistakes while avoiding internal conflicts.
Having served as a Cabinet minister under both Theresa May and Boris Johnson, she highlighted her commitment to turning Conservative values into actionable policies and ensuring the party is ready to win.
Known for her Eurosceptic views, Dame Priti previously implemented a points-based immigration system and an asylum seeker agreement with Rwanda during her tenure as home secretary.
She resigned from her position following Liz Truss’s assumption of the Tory leadership.
With other contenders expected to enter the race before nominations close, the selection process will see the field narrowed down to four candidates by the parliamentary party, who will then present their cases at the upcoming Conservative Party conference.
The final two candidates will be voted on by party members in an online ballot, with the outcome set to be announced on November 2.
Recent polling indicates that Dame Priti is currently the least favored candidate, with Mr. Tugendhat emerging as the most popular choice among the public and potential Conservative voters.
