Tory leadership: James Cleverly pledges to reinstate Rwanda plan if elected

Former Home and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly pledged to revive the Rwanda deportation plan, while ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch accused Rishi Sunak of “acting like Labour”.

The pair are two of the favourites to replace Mr Sunak, and are fighting four of their colleagues, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Jenrick, Dame Priti Patel and Mel Stride.

Ms Badenoch made her pitch at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, in central London.

She hit out at Mr Sunak, saying that “a government that tries to do everything will likely end up achieving nothing”.

Ms Badenoch explained: “This was one of our mistakes.

“We talked right but governed left, sounding like Conservatives but acting like Labour.

“Government should do fewer things, but what it does, it should do with brilliance.”

While Mr Cleverly made several bold policy announcements in his launch at the Old War Office, with a pledge to abolish stamp duty and bring back the Rwanda plan.

He also pledged to increase defence spending to three per cent of GDP.

The current Shadow Home Secretary said he would unite the Tory party, saying: “People don’t vote for divided parties.

“They don’t trust divided parties, they don’t even listen to divided parties.

“So we must unite if we want the British people to listen to us again.

“So when they are fed up, as they inevitably will be with Starmer’s inept, high tax, red tape-loving, big state, crony-filled government, they will look to us again to be the change that they want to see in this country.”

The launches came as the most extensive public focus group research on the Tory leadership, by More In Common, was released.

It found that voters wanted a fresh start from the Conservatives, and felt the new leader needed to feel authentic.

More In Common director Luke Tryl said Mr Sunak’s successor had to address three key challenges - trust, relatability and chaos - however he added that “not many [vote] switchers were inclined to move back to the Conservatives any time soon”.

The focus groups found Ms Badenoch felt like a new face, while Mr Cleverly appeared relatable and authentic.