Robert Jenrick has stated that the Conservatives have the potential to win the upcoming general election, but they must actively address difficult realities as he begins his bid to take over from Rishi Sunak as the party’s leader.
Speaking to his backers in Newark, he mentioned that the party must avoid “defeatism” while also staying “grounded in realism”.
He claimed that the main cause for the Conservatives losing the election was failing to fulfill their promise of reducing immigration.
Mr Jenrick is among six Conservative members who have joined the competition.
The rest of the candidates aiming for leadership include: Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Dame Priti Patel, Mel Stride, and Tom Tugendhat.
To be in the competition, potential leaders needed support from a minimum of 10 Conservative MPs.
In September, Tory MPs will reduce the candidates from six to four, who will then present their case to members at the party’s conference in Birmingham.
Through additional rounds of voting, the Members of Parliament will continue to eliminate candidates until only two remain, at which point party members will select the ultimate winner.
The online voting will conclude on the 31st of October, and the outcome will be revealed on the 2nd of November, two days thereafter.
Throughout his time in Parliament, Mr Jenrick was widely considered a moderate figure and a trusted associate of Rishi Sunak.
However, he resigned dramatically as a minister in the home office in December 2023 in objection to the government’s strategy on addressing illegal immigration.
Support for his leadership campaign has been secured from right-wing backers of Suella Braverman, including Sir John Hayes who attended the unveiling event.
It was anticipated that Ms Braverman would campaign for the leadership, but she decided against it due to lack of support from most MPs.
Mr Jenrick stated that the Conservatives, who experienced their worst election loss last month, have a challenging task ahead.
In the election, Mr Jenrick maintained his seat in Newark but his majority decreased significantly from about 20,000 to under 4,000.
Addressing his followers in Newark, he stated: “There are no guarantees in politics.” There are no ultimate successes, just as there are no ultimate failures.
“I am done with pessimism.” “We have the ability to emerge victorious.”
Nevertheless, he cautioned that the party must “make significant changes, or else there will be no future for us.”
He not only attributed the loss to an inability to manage immigration, but also mentioned the party’s tarnished image in terms of effective leadership, citing poor economic growth and heavy tax burdens.
In his address, he commended David Cameron for capturing the support of young voters, revitalizing the economy, and enhancing schools. He also commended Boris Johnson for successfully completing Brexit.
He talked about constructing additional houses to regain the support of young voters, and ensuring the NHS is patient-focused, stating it is “a public service, not a faith.”
He stated that past Conservative administrations had avoided making tough choices regarding the NHS due to concerns about criticism from their rivals.
Mr Jenrick reflected on his government experience, expressing his belief that the national government system was “completely dysfunctional” and was adding to the country’s decline.
He stated that Labour did not have the capacity to make changes and that the Conservatives were seen as “the best option for our country”.
Responding to queries from reporters, he expressed his readiness to exit the European Court of Human Rights and suggested that net migration should be restricted by Parliament to a level he thought should be “in the tens of thousands”.
He stated that should he become prime minister, he would “aim” to reinstate the Rwanda scheme, which was removed by the new Labour government, but mentioned that it would be “four or five years in the future”.
Former minister Esther McVey introduced Mr Jenrick, praising him as a skilled media presenter and communicator.
She suggested that he could improve the Conservative Party’s luck by “convincing the public instead of riling them up.”
In other news, see also: In November, the Conservatives intend to name a new leader
Tories win next election.