Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick go to war to avoid being knocked out of Tory leader race TODAY as MPs choose final two – with James Cleverly in pole position

with-font”>Kemi BadenochandRobert Jenrick are engaged in a desperate battle to keep their Tory leader hopes alive today as MPs prepare to choose a final two.

the shadow housing secretary and ex-immigration minister are scrambling for support from colleagues after a shock surge from James Cleverly saw him installed as favourite.

Rival camps swiped that MPs had stopped ‘buying the bullsh**’ from Mr Jenrick after he slipped back in the latest ballot yesterday – dropping two votes to end up on 31, just one ahead of Ms Badenoch who was up two. 

But Mr Cleverly enjoyed a breathtaking advance after being seen as the best performer at Tory conference in Birmingham last week, going from 21 supporters to 39. 

With only 121 Conservative MPs after Rishi Sunak‘s disastrous election result, that is just one short of the figure that guarantees his spot in the run-off.

The shadow home secretary is also widely expected to pick up the bulk of the 20 backers assembled by Tom Tugendhat, who was eliminated last night after coming fourth.

Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly are competing to be in the final two for the Tory leadership today

Iain Duncan Smith is the latest Tory MP to back Kemi Badenoch in the leadership contest today

Mr Cleverly at Boris Johnson’s book launch in London last night 

MPs are braced for hours of frantic lobbying and promises from Ms Badenoch and Mr Jenrick, while there is speculation that Mr Cleverly’s allies could vote tactically to secure him the best chance of victory in the looming ballot of party members.

Surveys by the grass roots ConservativeHome website have suggested that Mr Cleverly would defeat Mr Jenrick but could struggle against Ms Badenoch.

Mr Cleverly – who last night attended the launch of Boris Johnson’s book Unleashed in London with his wife Susannah – paid tribute to his ‘close friend’ Mr Tigendhat, saying that he would ‘have a big role to play in our ­party’s future’.

But allies rejected claims he could now lend support to him to avoid a showdown with Mrs Badenoch.

One said: ‘We’re clear – MPs need to vote for the candidate they want to win, and we think that should be James. That’s what we’re saying to MPs. Absolutely no games.’  

One source from a rival camp told MailOnline that MPs had ‘stopped buying the bullsh**’ from Mr Jenrick.

‘Now that’s become obvious people are ditching him. He had careerist supporters who now know he can’t win,’ they said.

A veteran Tory aide said: ‘Those Bobby J baseball caps have blown him up, just like David Davis with the DD for Me shirts.’ 

Ms Badenoch’s supporters said falling support for Mr Jenrick among MPs showed he could not win. 

A campaign spokesman said: ‘There are three candidates left in this contest, two are gaining votes and one is going backwards.

‘The Right of the party needs to coalesce around Kemi, who has the star quality to cut through in opposition and is indisputably the members’ choice for leader.’

Despite the loss of momentum, Mr Jenrick’s campaign insisted he was in ‘prime position’ to make the final two.

The former immigration minister has adopted a hardline stance on immigration, with a pledge to leave the European Convention on Human Rights – a move opposed by some Tory moderates. 

But a campaign spokesman said he was attracting support from other moderates such as former health secretary Victoria Atkins and MPs on the Right.

Tom Tugendhat was the latest to be eliminated in yesterday’s Tory leader ballot

Mr Cleverly was the main beneficiary of a third round of votes by Tory MPs yesterday, announced by 1922 committee chair Bob Blackman

One of Mr Jenrick’s MP ­supporters took a swipe at Mrs Badenoch, saying: ‘MPs have a choice between a serious and competent leader or, on a weekly basis, having to defend attacks on Doctor Who, and madcap ideas like lowering maternity pay, the end of free care with the NHS and how the minimum wage is too high.’

In a boost for Mr Jenrick, ­Theresa May’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy last night came out in his support.

Having backed Mr Tugendhat until he was knocked out yesterday, Mr Timothy said the only remaining candidate offering ‘unsparing analysis of why we lost and what we must do next’ was Mr Jenrick.

Tory party members will vote on the final two candidates with the result due to be announced on November 2.