James Cleverly has called on Conservative Party members to make him leader, urging them to embrace a 'more normal' approach and give 'a mixed-race boy from Lewisham' a chance to become prime minister. Speaking at the party conference in Birmingham, the former home secretary opened up about his childhood and his wife Susie's battle with breast cancer, emphasising a vision of 'conservatism with a smile'.
Cleverly ruled out any deals with Nigel Farage and Reform UK, describing the party as a 'pale imitation' of the Conservatives. 'No mergers, no deals,' he declared, insisting the Tories must beat Reform by being 'the best version of ourselves'. He also attacked frontrunner Robert Jenrick, noting pointedly that he did not 'walk away' when the job got tough, a reference to Jenrick's resignation as immigration minister.
Drawing inspiration from former US president Ronald Reagan, Cleverly said: 'Let's be more like Reagan. Let's be enthusiastic, relatable, positive, optimistic. Let's be more normal.' He argued that this approach would help the Tories win back voters who defected to Reform, the Liberal Democrats, or stayed home at the last election.
Fellow candidate Tom Tugendhat also addressed the conference, insisting he could become the next prime minister. He urged activists to choose a leader focused on winning the next election, saying: 'I've had enough of Westminster's games and petty point-scoring.' Tugendhat backed a 100,000 cap on net immigration but cautioned that tax cuts must be part of a wider strategy.
The four remaining leadership candidates spoke on the final day of the conference, with Rishi Sunak's successor set to be announced on November 2.
