'Tory leadership: James Cleverly quits race as Fox backs Jeremy Hunt' diff viewer (14/15)

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Tory leadership: James Cleverly quits race as Fox backs Jeremy Hunt	Tory leadership: James Cleverly quits race as Fox backs Jeremy Hunt
2019-06-17 16:18:32 UTC	2019-06-19 12:20:24 UTC (2 days later)
James Cleverly has become the first candidate to withdraw from the Conservative leadership race, citing a lack of support for his campaign, which he said had required “a leap of faith, [to] skip a generation and vote for a relatively new MP”.	James Cleverly has become the first candidate to withdraw from the Conservative leadership race, citing a lack of support for his campaign, which he said had required “a leap of faith, [to] skip a generation and vote for a relatively new MP”.
Cleverly’s decision reduces the field to 12 candidates. The Brexit minister and former Tory vice-chairman would have been unlikely to meet a threshold of 12 endorsements, which the party’s backbench executive could introduce this week to cut the number of candidates.	Cleverly’s decision reduces the field to 12 candidates. The Brexit minister and former Tory vice-chairman would have been unlikely to meet a threshold of 12 endorsements, which the party’s backbench executive could introduce this week to cut the number of candidates.
“It is clear that despite much support, particularly from our party’s grassroots, MPs weren’t comfortable with such a move [his candidacy] and it has been clear that I would not progress to the final two candidates,” Cleverly said in a statement.	“It is clear that despite much support, particularly from our party’s grassroots, MPs weren’t comfortable with such a move [his candidacy] and it has been clear that I would not progress to the final two candidates,” Cleverly said in a statement.
The environment secretary’s campaign plan was knocked off course by revelations about drug-taking.	The environment secretary’s campaign plan was knocked off course by revelations about drug-taking.
He has sought to regain his place as the leading ‘Stop Boris’ with a series of policy pledges, from a new social insurance to pay for social care, to changing human rights law to prevent service personnel being pursued over historical crimes. He has better Brexiter credentials than Hunt, is liked by the moderate wing of the party, and is a better orator than almost any other candidate.	He has sought to regain his place as the leading ‘Stop Boris’ with a series of policy pledges, from a new social insurance to pay for social care, to changing human rights law to prevent service personnel being pursued over historical crimes. He has better Brexiter credentials than Hunt, is liked by the moderate wing of the party, and is a better orator than almost any other candidate.
He has played up his senior role in the Vote Leave campaign, saying he had ‘led from the front’ because he believed it was ‘the right thing to do, at a critical moment in our history’.	He has played up his senior role in the Vote Leave campaign, saying he had ‘led from the front’ because he believed it was ‘the right thing to do, at a critical moment in our history’.
On Brexit he has publicly discussed the idea of extending the Brexit deadline slightly beyond 31 October, if needed to finalise a deal. Has not completely ruled out a no-deal Brexit.	On Brexit he has publicly discussed the idea of extending the Brexit deadline slightly beyond 31 October, if needed to finalise a deal. Has not completely ruled out a no-deal Brexit.
~~He received 37 votes in the first round, coming third.~~	He received 37 votes in the first round, coming third. He came third in the second round, increasing his number of supporters to 41.
The foreign secretary has made the case that he is the most serious and experienced would-be leader, in an apparent rebuke to his main rival, Boris Johnson.	The foreign secretary has made the case that he is the most serious and experienced would-be leader, in an apparent rebuke to his main rival, Boris Johnson.
On Brexit he believes a new deal is possible by 31 October, and would send a new, cross-party negotiating team to Brussels. Would countenance leaving EU without a deal, but has warned that could lead to a confidence vote and potentially an election.	On Brexit he believes a new deal is possible by 31 October, and would send a new, cross-party negotiating team to Brussels. Would countenance leaving EU without a deal, but has warned that could lead to a confidence vote and potentially an election.
Hunt’s problem is he is seen as the continuity candidate, the safe pair of hands, when colleagues are starting to see the attraction of a new style.	Hunt’s problem is he is seen as the continuity candidate, the safe pair of hands, when colleagues are starting to see the attraction of a new style.
~~He received 43 votes in the first round, placing him second.~~	He received 43 votes in the first round, placing him second. He received 46 votes in the second round, staying in second place.
Javid struggled to define himself in the first days of the campaign, not a fresh face, not a safe pair of hands, or a true Brexit believer. But his campaign picked up, with the endorsement of popular Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, a polished leadership video telling the moving story of his background, and a lively launch speech. It was still only enough to place him fifth, though.	Javid struggled to define himself in the first days of the campaign, not a fresh face, not a safe pair of hands, or a true Brexit believer. But his campaign picked up, with the endorsement of popular Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, a polished leadership video telling the moving story of his background, and a lively launch speech. It was still only enough to place him fifth, though.
On Brexit, Javid says he wants to leave with a deal, but has talked down the idea of another extension and would be prepared to opt for no deal.	On Brexit, Javid says he wants to leave with a deal, but has talked down the idea of another extension and would be prepared to opt for no deal.
He is expected to make a new push to define himself as the change candidate who can talk to Tory voters in new places – though he may also be tempted to drop out to tuck in behind one of the frontrunners. It is hard to see how he could make it into the final two from this position.	He is expected to make a new push to define himself as the change candidate who can talk to Tory voters in new places – though he may also be tempted to drop out to tuck in behind one of the frontrunners. It is hard to see how he could make it into the final two from this position.
~~He received 23 votes in the first round.~~	He received 23 votes in the first round, and 33 votes in the second round.
The former foreign secretary already has enough support to progress through to the members’ ballot. All Johnson needs to do is sit tight, keep his MPs sweet and try not to ruin it for himself. He has kept a low profile in the media and stayed in the tearooms and in his office, methodically talking round colleagues. His team know that one negative news cycle because of an off-guard comment could see his star plummet – and Johnson is more prone to those than most.	The former foreign secretary already has enough support to progress through to the members’ ballot. All Johnson needs to do is sit tight, keep his MPs sweet and try not to ruin it for himself. He has kept a low profile in the media and stayed in the tearooms and in his office, methodically talking round colleagues. His team know that one negative news cycle because of an off-guard comment could see his star plummet – and Johnson is more prone to those than most.
On Brexit he has promised the UK will leave the EU on 31 October, come what may, even without a deal if a new agreement cannot be reached in time.	On Brexit he has promised the UK will leave the EU on 31 October, come what may, even without a deal if a new agreement cannot be reached in time.
~~Johnson won the first round with 114 votes.~~	Johnson won the first round with 114 votes, and the second round with 126 votes.
The former Brexit secretary has had a rocky start to his campaign after telling broadcasters he was not a feminist and missing out on a slew of endorsements from the Brexiter right of the party, which instead went to Boris Johnson
On Brexit Raab has said he would actively seek a no-deal departure, and has repeatedly refused to rule out proroguing parliament to make sure MPs could not block this. ‘We’ve been humiliated as a country in these talks with the EU,’ he said. ‘We’re divided at home, and demeaned abroad.’
~~His limited chance of success really now depends on whether Johnson stumbles and a more moderate candidate gains momentum, in which case Raab could be the beneficiary.~~
~~Raab got 27 votes in the first round.~~
Stewart said he was ‘over the moon’ to scrape into the next round of voting with 19 votes, one-sixth of Johnson’s tally, and insisted afterwards he could still make the final two. He still has a mountain to climb to get into the next round, where he will need to get another 14 endorsements – and avoid coming last – or he will be automatically eliminated.	Stewart said he was ‘over the moon’ to scrape into the next round of voting with 19 votes, one-sixth of Johnson’s tally, and insisted afterwards he could still make the final two. He still has a mountain to climb to get into the next round, where he will need to get another 14 endorsements – and avoid coming last – or he will be automatically eliminated.
The safe money would say it is likely that he will not make it through the next round, yet it is just about possible that his mounting popularity with the public could convince colleagues to take a gamble on him if they hope to find an outsider with a chance of beating Johnson.	The safe money would say it is likely that he will not make it through the next round, yet it is just about possible that his mounting popularity with the public could convince colleagues to take a gamble on him if they hope to find an outsider with a chance of beating Johnson.
On Brexit he is by far the softest of the candidates – he so vehemently rules out no deal that he has discussed holding an impromptu parliament elsewhere in Westminster if a new PM opted to prorogue the Commons.	On Brexit he is by far the softest of the candidates – he so vehemently rules out no deal that he has discussed holding an impromptu parliament elsewhere in Westminster if a new PM opted to prorogue the Commons.
~~Stewart got 19 votes in the first round.~~	Stewart got 19 votes in the first round, and 37 votes in the second round.
Earlier on Tuesday, Liam Fox backed the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to be the next Conservative leader, in a further splintering of cabinet endorsements in five different directions.	Earlier on Tuesday, Liam Fox backed the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to be the next Conservative leader, in a further splintering of cabinet endorsements in five different directions.
The international trade secretary is the first cabinet member to support Hunt, who is one of the four frontrunners alongside Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab.	The international trade secretary is the first cabinet member to support Hunt, who is one of the four frontrunners alongside Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab.
Fox, one of the cabinet’s most dedicated Brexiters, surprised some other leadership camps on Tuesday with his endorsement of Hunt, who has said pursuing no deal would be “political suicide” because it would lead to a general election.	Fox, one of the cabinet’s most dedicated Brexiters, surprised some other leadership camps on Tuesday with his endorsement of Hunt, who has said pursuing no deal would be “political suicide” because it would lead to a general election.
Fox said he was backing “my friend” Hunt, having previously mounted a defence of keeping a no-deal departure on the table. “If we can’t get an agreement, we have to be willing to walk away, otherwise we have no real negotiating hand,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.	Fox said he was backing “my friend” Hunt, having previously mounted a defence of keeping a no-deal departure on the table. “If we can’t get an agreement, we have to be willing to walk away, otherwise we have no real negotiating hand,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Privilege to work with @LiamFox in Cabinet for many of the last nine years and very honoured by his support. He is an outstanding trade secretary. Looking forward to working with him to get a better Brexit deal and make the most of new trading opportunities across the globe. pic.twitter.com/GGSicmj1wY	Privilege to work with @LiamFox in Cabinet for many of the last nine years and very honoured by his support. He is an outstanding trade secretary. Looking forward to working with him to get a better Brexit deal and make the most of new trading opportunities across the globe. pic.twitter.com/GGSicmj1wY
However, Fox said he was aware “the prospect of a no deal might well be used by those who seek to break up the UK, to use that as a weapon in that particular battle, both I think in Northern Ireland and potentially in Scotland”.	However, Fox said he was aware “the prospect of a no deal might well be used by those who seek to break up the UK, to use that as a weapon in that particular battle, both I think in Northern Ireland and potentially in Scotland”.
Over the weekend, Johnson won the coveted endorsement of Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, who had been touted to run herself, as well as that of the sacked former defence secretary Gavin Williamson.	Over the weekend, Johnson won the coveted endorsement of Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, who had been touted to run herself, as well as that of the sacked former defence secretary Gavin Williamson.
But on Tuesday, the security minister, Ben Wallace, declined to say he was supporting Johnson, whom he backed in 2016 and then jokingly threatened to inflict a Game of Thrones-style torture on Gove when he threw his hat in the ring and scuppered Johnson’s chances.	But on Tuesday, the security minister, Ben Wallace, declined to say he was supporting Johnson, whom he backed in 2016 and then jokingly threatened to inflict a Game of Thrones-style torture on Gove when he threw his hat in the ring and scuppered Johnson’s chances.
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Wallace told Today. “What we do need to do is make sure this race is about getting the right person to lead the country, but I’m not going to bang on about it.”	“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Wallace told Today. “What we do need to do is make sure this race is about getting the right person to lead the country, but I’m not going to bang on about it.”
A Conservative leadership contest takes two stages. First, MPs vote for their choice from the nominated candidates. In progressive rounds of voting, candidates are eliminated until there are only two challengers remaining. The second stage is a postal ballot of Conservative party members to chose one of the two candidates.	A Conservative leadership contest takes two stages. First, MPs vote for their choice from the nominated candidates. In progressive rounds of voting, candidates are eliminated until there are only two challengers remaining. The second stage is a postal ballot of Conservative party members to chose one of the two candidates.
Theresa May's formal resignation as leader on 7 June triggered the contest and the Conservative party set out the following timetable:	Theresa May's formal resignation as leader on 7 June triggered the contest and the Conservative party set out the following timetable: