Priti Patel has been knocked out of the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative party leader in the first round of MP voting.
The former Home Secretary achieved 14 votes from Tory MP’s in a tight contest which saw Robert Jenrick top the poll on 28, Kemi Badenoch 22,James Cleverly 21, Tom Tugendhat 17 and Mel Stride with 16
Another vote will be held next Tuesday to whittle the field down to four candidates before the party’s annual conference at the end of September.
