MEL Stride has been knocked out of the Conservative leadership race. 

The MP for Central Devon, whose constituency covers Crediton, Okehampton and Ashburton, was voted out at the second MP’s ballot on Tuesday, September 10.  

Robert Jenrick came first again, gathering 33 votes. Kemi Badenoch secured 28 votes, and James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat 21 votes each. 

Mr Stride came last with 16 votes, and is therefore eliminated.  

The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary had only just survived the first MP’s ballot on Wednesday, September 4, coming second last. 

“Out of the contest but really enjoyed the journey,” Mr Stride said on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

“Met so many wonderful people. Our party’s values still run deep and strong.  

“In time we will prevail. Thank you to everyone who had a kind or positive word for me along the way.” 

The four remaining candidates will get a chance to speak to wider party members at the Conservative Party Conference from September 29 to October 2, before they are whittled down to the final two by MPs in a third ballot on October 9 or 10.  

Party members will then vote in an online ballot for whom they think the new leader should be. 

The winner will be announced on Saturday, November 2.  

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the current leader of the Conservative Party, will remain in post until then. 

Mr Stride was previously Work and Pensions Secretary in Mr Sunak’s cabinet for 20 months. 

He narrowly avoided defeat at the general election in July, holding onto his Central Devon seat by just 61 votes ahead of Labour – a sharp fall from his 17,721-strong majority in 2019. 

Mr Stride, who has been MP for Central Devon since 2010, is 62 years old and is married with three daughters.  

He went to Portsmouth Grammar School before studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. 

He set up Venture Marketing Group, an events and publishing company, in 1987. He and his wife Michelle still hold shares and voting rights in the business.