Priti Patel storms into the Tory leadership race (Image: Getty)
Priti Patel has stormed into the Tory leadership race, pledging to end the “soap opera” which has torn her once-great party apart.
The former Home Secretary vowed to return to the bread-and-butter politics that matter to ordinary Britons – ending years of bitter infighting which has damaged the Conservative brand.
She roared into the contest on a mission to turn the party of Thatcher and Churchill back into a “winning machine” in the wake of this month’s devastating election drubbing.
Brexiteer Ms Patel is the only candidate with direct experience of the hard graft of Opposition, having worked for William Hague after the historic defeat of 1997.
Launching her bid for the Tory crown, she declared: “It is time to put unity before personal vendetta, country before party and delivery before self-interest. I have done this throughout my 30-plus years of service to our party, both in government and opposition. I can get us match fit to win the next general election.”
READ MORE: Priti Patel in the only one who can take the fight to Labour and Lib Dems
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Ms Patel, 52, is the fifth MP to throw their hat in the ring – and the first woman. Bookies’ favourite Kemi Badenoch has enough backers to run and is expected to declare her candidacy before nominations close at 2:30pm tomorrow.
Last night Ms Patel told the Sunday Express she will put uniting a “fractured” party at the centre of her pitch to MPs and members. If she wins the leadership, her priority will be “reinvigorating” the party membership who will be the pavement warriors in the coming elections.
She said: “It isn’t our heroic members who failed, but politicians’ distraction from public service. We must now turn our conservative values into strong policies to bring about positive change for people across our country.”
Although she believes the party needs to reflect on the reasons why it lost 251 MPs, she insists this is no time for “a soap opera of finger pointing and self-indulgence”. Blaming politicians who “fell out and left us short”, she now wants to chart a path back to power.
Ms Patel is confident that “instinctively conservative values” such as “keeping people safe and spreading opportunity” remain popular.
She vowed to end the obsession over whether policies are “left or right” and focus on key issues such as health and social care, energy, security, community cohesion, immigration, education, childcare, and getting people on the housing ladder “without ruining our green belt”.
She will run under the slogan “Unite to Win”.
Former health minister Saqib Bhatti last night strongly welcomed her formal entry into the race. He said: “I’m backing Priti because I think she’s the best candidate we’ve got to unify the party, to help us learn the lessons of the latest election, take the fight to Keir Starmer and make us a viable proposition in five years’ time.”
Stressing the importance of her direct experience of Opposition, he said: “She’s definitely a grafter. I think it’s really important. We’re going to need someone who keeps us focused, keeps us unified and can bring everyone together.
“I think she understands what’s needed in Opposition. That’s why she’s going to be so crucial to the rebuild of the party.”
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Her other rivals include former security minister Tom Tugendhat, ex-Home Secretary James Cleverly, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and ex-Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride. Mr Jenrick has received the backing of Boris Johnson’s former chief whip, Mark Spencer.
Mr Spencer described the election as a “near-death experience for the party,” adding: “Things could get worse unless we change course.” Describing why he wants Mr Jenrick in the top role, he said: “Robert has the vision, conviction and energy to rebuild the Conservative Party and bring back voters we lost to Reform and Labour.”
Mr Cleverly stressed his security credentials, saying he would put a pledge to raise defence spending to three per cent of GDP in the next Tory manifesto. He said: “This is what it will take to give our Armed Forces the resources they need to defend our nation, and the world the assurance it needs that the UK is ready to defend peace.”
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Newly elected Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst set out why he is backing Mr Cleverly, saying: “As party chairman, James oversaw the biggest election victory the Conservatives have witnessed in a generation. An 80-seat majority allowed Boris Johnson to break the deadlock and get Brexit done. He is the person to rebuild our party.”
Whoever wins the leadership faces an epic challenge. The latest Savanta polling shows Labour had a 37-point lead over the Tories when voters were asked who is best placed to handle health, social care and the NHS. Sir Keir Starmer’s party also had an 18-point lead over its defeated rival when it came to who would do the best job managing the economy or dealing with immigration.