Mel Stride backs James Cleverly as next Tory leader

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Mel Stride has backed James Cleverly to be the next Tory leader.

The ex-work and pensions secretary, who is now shadowing his former Cabinet role, was eliminated from the Conservative leadership contest in the second round.

Mr Stride posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The Conservative Party needs to rebuild trust on economic competence, cutting migration and reforming public services. Strong, clear and measured. James has what it takes.”

Former party chairman and foreign and home secretary Mr Cleverly was the “standout candidate” at the Conservative Party conference last week when the four remaining leadership hopefuls set out their pitches to members, Mr Stride wrote in The Telegraph.

“We need a leader who both gets the need for the rapid reform of our party machine but who can also reach across the party and appeal to our broad base.

“Someone who has experience in government, the party, and is an effective communicator,” he wrote.

Mr Cleverly is the current bookmakers’ favourite to replace Rishi Sunak.

At the party conference, he urged party members to be “more normal” and “sell Conservatism with a smile”.

Mr Stride said he was “absolutely right”.

“We need to be the very best version of ourselves if we are to get back to winning ways,” he said.

“Strong, clear and measured. That is how we will win back voters that we lost to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform. It is also how we will encourage those that stayed at home to come out and vote for us again at the next opportunity.”

Conservative MPs will hold votes on Tuesday and Wednesday to narrow the four candidates down to two before the full party membership picks the leader.