James Cleverly’s leadership bid gets major boost as top Tory Mel Stride backs him 

JAMES Cleverly’s enactment bid has got a monolithic boost contiguous arsenic Tory heavyweight Mel Stride threw his value down him.

Mr Stride, who was booted retired of the race past month, had stayed tight-lipped connected his pick, keeping rival camps connected edge. 

But the erstwhile Cabinet Minister yet broke cover, dubbing erstwhile Home Secretary Mr Cleverly the person we request to "take the combat to Labour" and "make definite we are acceptable to win". 

Writing successful The Telegraph, Mr Stride said: "We request a person who some gets the request for the accelerated betterment of our enactment instrumentality but who tin besides scope crossed the Party and entreaty to our wide base. Someone who has acquisition successful government, the Party, and is an effectual communicator.

"I person travel to the decision that the idiosyncratic that meets each these requirements is James Cleverly."

The endorsement comes arsenic the 4 hopefuls - Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, and Mr Cleverly - volition conflict it retired successful a crunch ballot from MPs time to constrictive the tract to 3 candidates.

It volition beryllium followed by different ballot connected Wednesday to determine the last two, who volition past vie for enactment members' enactment until the victor is announced connected November 2.

Mr Cleverly came associated 3rd with Mr Tugendhat successful the 2nd ballot but his run gained momentum aft a beardown show astatine the party’s league successful Birmingham.