Britain’s Conservative Party Gathers in Birmingham for Leadership Selection
LONDON — The Conservative Party of Britain convened in Birmingham for their annual conference, with all eyes on selecting a new leader to rejuvenate the party after a crushing defeat in July’s election.
The party, which had been in power since 2010, suffered a significant blow, ending up with just 121 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons. On the other hand, the center-left Labour Party, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, secured over 400 seats.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who stepped down following the defeat, is currently serving as the interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
Among the four remaining candidates in the leadership race are former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, and ex-Security Minister Tom Tugendhat. The announcement of the party’s new leader is scheduled for November 2.
Challenges lie ahead for the Conservatives, with competition coming from the hard-right Reform UK party led by populist Nigel Farage, as well as the centrist Liberal Democrats, who secured 72 seats in the recent election.
In a bid to win over the party’s right-wing supporters, front-runners Jenrick and Badenoch have taken strong stances on immigration. However, voices within the party, including former Prime Minister Theresa May, caution against veering too far to the right, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a centrist approach to win elections.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing his own set of challenges, with declining approval ratings and the resignation of Labour lawmaker Rosie Duffield, who accused the party leadership of “sleaze and nepotism.” — Agencies
