The end is finally in sight. In a week’s time, the winner of the Conservative leadership contest will be announced. Within the Tory party, most MPs are braced for a Kemi Badenoch victory. Could the result be closer than currently expected? On Thursday night, there were rumours that the final ConservativeHome survey of members would make for uncomfortable reading for Badenoch – with Jenrick in a close second. The results have now been published and the survey finds that Badenoch maintains a comfortable lead.
The contest has taken on the typical dynamics of a frontrunner and an insurgent
On the question of ‘who should be the next leader of the Conservative and Unionist party?’, 55 per cent of respondents said Badenoch compared with 31 per cent who said Robert Jenrick. There are still some undecideds out there: 14 per cent opted for ‘don’t know’. In the past, the ConservativeHome survey has proved a fairly accurate guide to where the membership sits.
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