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Thursday, Apr 02, 2026

Voting Concludes in Conservative Party Leadership Race

Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick Await Results After Intense Leadership Campaign
The voting process to elect the new Conservative Party leader has concluded, ending the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as head of the party.

The polls closed at 17:00 GMT, and the winner is set to be announced on Saturday morning.

This leadership contest followed the Conservative Party's significant defeat in the latest general election, which resulted in Rishi Sunak's resignation.

Party members had the choice between Kemi Badenoch, former Business Secretary, and Robert Jenrick, former immigration minister, after other candidates, including Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, and James Cleverly, were eliminated during the previous rounds.

Badenoch is considered the frontrunner based on recent surveys, though Jenrick maintains the contest is very competitive, expressing concerns about voter turnout.

Throughout the campaign, core issues such as immigration, the economy, and rebuilding voter trust were extensively debated.

Jenrick, who had resigned from Sunak's government due to its migration policies, campaigned for a cap on net migration and proposed leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.

Meanwhile, Badenoch advocated for core Conservative principles, focusing on a smaller, more efficient government.

The campaigners disclosed receiving £112,500 in donations recently, totaling £480,000 for Jenrick and £422,500 for Badenoch throughout the campaign.
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