Independent readers give their verdict on the Tory leadership race

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Following their election defeat and the departure of Rishi Sunak, the Conservative Party is locked in a leadership contest to determine its future direction.

The race has been the focal point of this week’s Tory Party conference in Birmingham, with candidates Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat battling to lead a fractured party back to power, challenging Keir Starmer’s Labour.

Yet, the key question remains: who will win, and who can truly succeed in reuniting a disillusioned voter base?

In a recent poll of Independent readers on X/Twitter, Tugendhat led with 40 per cent support, followed by Cleverly at 25.5 per cent. A poll in our exclusive UK Politics WhatsApp community yielded the same results.

In both cases, a significant portion of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the available choices, criticising the party’s direction and leadership.

One reader suggested the Conservatives’ best option may be “a silent leader”. Another described the leadership battle as “cats in a sack,” suggesting that none of the contenders could truly turn the party around.

Others echoed similar sentiments, with calls for the party to “move back to the centre,” as their shift to the right has alienated traditional supporters.

With the Conservative Party at a crossroads, the outcome of this leadership race could determine its future—and whether it can recover from the depths of internal division and voter disillusionment.

Here’s what you had to say:

Until they have some rational vision for the future leadership is irrelevant. Who cares who leads a party that has betrayed its own voter base?

The best way to consider the question is in terms of damage limitation to the reputation of the Conservative Party. It might be best to have a silent leader.

Poe

In moving further and further to the right, they drove voters away, just as Corbyn did by moving Labour further and further to the left. The only sensible move for the Tories now is to root out the right-wing extremists that have taken control of the party and move back towards the centre.

Blair and Starmer did the exact same thing with the Labour Party and, whether you like them or hate them, the results are very clear.

Ollie

If they carry on down this road of populist, extreme right, Maga-style rhetoric they will either destroy themselves (not something I’d shed a tear over) or the the whole country if they garner enough support to get back in.

I’m fairly terrified it might be the second given the events following the stupidity and division of Brexit.

Ben

Unfortunately, anyone who could turn things around does not appear to be running. The usual suspects are fighting like cats in a sack so the winner won’t last long.

Crafty Git

Mmmmm John Major? Kenneth Clark? Michael Heseltine? You might not like them but they had functioning brains, didn’t try to win votes via hate, and gave the impression they cared about the people they represented, vaguely supported the NHS…. Not this lot of self-serving morons…

Pamela

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