The race to succeed Rishi Sunak as the leader of the Conservative Party is approaching its conclusion, with the voting among party members set to close at 17:00 GMT today. The results will be revealed on Saturday morning, nearly four months after Sunak’s resignation followed a significant general election setback.

Party members are deciding between Kemi Badenoch, the former Business Secretary, and Robert Jenrick, the ex-immigration minister. Four previous candidates were eliminated through votes by Conservative MPs. While Badenoch is currently viewed as the frontrunner, Jenrick has maintained that the contest remains tight, emphasizing his efforts to secure every possible vote. He noted a low turnout in participation and expressed a desire for the victor to have a strong mandate from party members.

Earlier this week, Badenoch echoed concerns about voter turnout, indicating that her increased media engagements aimed to address this issue. Throughout the campaign, key topics have included immigration policy, economic strategies, and how the Conservatives can regain public trust after a historic defeat in July, which saw them reduced to just 121 seats in the House of Commons with less than 24% of the vote.

During the summer, fellow candidates Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, and James Cleverly campaigned alongside Badenoch and Jenrick. Patel and Stride were eliminated in September, followed by Tugendhat and Cleverly after the Birmingham conference. Despite Cleverly being viewed as strong during the conference and earning top votes among MPs initially, he was unexpectedly eliminated shortly after.

A recent poll from ConservativeHome indicated that Badenoch had a significant lead over Jenrick among Tory members with 55% support compared to Jenrick’s 31%, leaving 14% undecided. Jenrick has focused his campaign on immigration issues and has called for strict measures such as a legally-binding cap on net migration and withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Badenoch has countered by advocating for a return to fundamental Conservative principles, arguing that past administrations failed to uphold these values. She criticized recent government budgets as damaging to jobs and wages while positioning herself against Jenrick’s critiques by asserting that party identity must come before policy discussion.

In recent discussions regarding a tragic incident in Southport involving an alleged attack by an 18-year-old suspect charged with serious offenses, both candidates have raised concerns about transparency from government officials. They have called for accountability regarding information related to the case while maintaining their political positions amid ongoing public scrutiny of law enforcement trustworthiness.