Priti Patel announces she won’t join fight to become next Tory leader

Priti Patel has confirmed she will not be standing in the Tory leadership contest.

The home secretary said on Tuesday she had received ‘encouragement’ from colleagues to enter the race.

But added that her focus is to boost police numbers, support security services and ‘control our borders’.

Sources close to Ms Patel would not disclose the reasons behind her decision, nor would they indicate who she is likely to back as the next prime minister.

She has been dogged by bullying allegations in the past, claims she denies, while her Rwanda deportation plan has been criticised as ‘shamefully cruel’.

In a statement, Ms Patel said: ‘I am grateful for the encouragement and support colleagues and Party members have offered me in recent days in suggesting that I enter the contest for the leadership of the Conservative Party. I will not be putting my name forward for the ballot of MPs.

‘As Home Secretary I have always put the security and safety of our country and the national interest first and my focus is to continue working to get more police on our streets, support our amazing security services to keep our country safe and control our borders.

‘As a lifelong and committed Conservative, I will always make the case for freedom, enterprise and opportunity and work with colleagues to deliver these values in Government.

‘Like all Conservative MPs and Party members, I will be listening to cases being put forward by the candidates standing for the leadership of the Party and trust the contest will be conducted in a good spirit that brings our Party together.’

It comes as 10 candidates put their names forward to become Britain’s next prime minister.

The list is expected to be slimmed down soon as each needs the support of at least 20 MPs to continue.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps pulled out of the battle as he struggled to win the required nominations before the cut-off, and announced his support for Rishi Sunak.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has also offered his backing to the ex-Chancellor, whose resignation helped force Boris Johnson’s downfall.

Ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who resigned in disgrace after being caught in a passionate clinch in his office during Covid restrictions, released a video this afternoon saying he was also behind Mr Sunak.

More Conservative ministers are now revealing their pick of the bunch – with two Johnson loyalists, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries, throwing their weight behind Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Tuesday.

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