MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel announced on Saturday her intention to run for leadership of the British Conservative Party.
"I am standing to be the new Leader of the Conservative Party," Patel said on X.
The first representative of the Conservatives to confirm his intention to run for the post of party leader was former UK Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Two former deputy home secretaries, Tom Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick, put forward their candidacies soon after, followed by former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride.
According to the Times newspaper, the acceptance of applications for the post of party leader began Wednesday, July 24, and will end early next week. The list of figures thought to be most likely to run for the position includes MPs Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman and Victoria Atkins.
In early September the party will narrow the number of nominees down to four through an internal vote. The remaining candidates will be given the opportunity to speak at the convention and address members before two more candidates are eliminated, with the final vote taking place in October. The winner will be announced November 2.
The UK general election took place July 4 with the Labour Party winning 412 seats, securing an absolute majority in parliament and ending the Conservative Party's 14-year rule. The result was the worst defeat in the Conservative Party's history, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK party eating into its vote share. Several independent MPs and Green Party candidates also won during an election in which the UK's support for Israel's operation in the Gaza Strip became a major topic of debate.
The following day Labour leader Keir Starmer officially became the 58th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak congratulated Starmer on his victory and announced during his final speech as head of government that he would step down as leader of the Conservative Party once a successor was chosen.