Kemi Badenoch has been handed a boost in the race to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservatives, after a new poll indicated she would beat all five of the other contenders if she reaches the final two.
A YouGov survey published on Friday saw Mrs Badenoch beat James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel and Mel Stride in head-to-head votes, with 47 per cent of members saying they would back her against Mr Cleverly.
The poll showed that in head-to-head contests, Badenoch had significant support, such as beating Mr Stride by 61 per cent to 14 per cent, indicating strong backing among party members as the leadership race progresses.
Conservative MPs will narrow down the number of candidates to just two in a series of votes in September and October, with the final decision expected by November 2.
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