JAMES Cleverly has told the Tories to “be more normal” as the final four leadership rivals made their closing conference pitches.
All candidates are delivering 20-minute speeches to the party faithful on the last day of their annual gathering in Birmingham.
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Robert Jenrick went into the last day as the bookies’ frontrunner, having mopped up the most Conservative MPs so far.
Kemi Badenoch is hot on his heels but has suffered a series of apparent gaffes during the four-day get-together.
Tom Tugendhat opened the back-to-back addresses with a promise that he was “not here to manage, but to lead”.
Mr Cleverly – Shadow Home Secretary – apologised on behalf of Conservative MPs for the disastrous election result.
And giving a brutal verdict on how the party needs to change said: “Let’s be enthusiastic; relatable; positive; optimistic.
“Let’s be more normal.”
Mr Cleverly promised to “sell the benefits of conservatism with a smile” to win back disillusioned voters who drifted to Labour, the Lib Dems and Reform.
He said: “And let’s make sure they do it not holding their nose but with a spring in their step and a smile on their face.”
He ruled out any pact with Nigel Farage’s insurgents, who ate into the Conservative vote at the last election with devastating effect.
And the seasoned ex-Cabinet Minister said this was “no time for an apprentice”.
Mr Tugendhat – Shadow Security Minister – hit out at the “government by management consultancy” of Labour.
The Tory leadership hopeful told the party conference audience: “Our country is crying out for leadership.
“Leadership is not about empty promises, it is not about cheap rhetoric or government by management consultancy, it is not about managing decline, and it is not about talking our country down.
“Leadership is about making choices that serve our country and our people best. I promise you that as your leader I will serve our country, I will lead with conviction, I will act decisively.
Next week Tory MPs will begin knocking out two more candidates until the final two go before the members with a result on November 2.
The final day came as Ms Badenoch risked another row after suggesting jailing thousands of civil servants.
The Tory firebrand let rip at Whitehall, telling a conference fringe event: “There’s about 5 to 10% of them who are very, very bad – you know should be in prison bad – leaking official secrets, undermining their ministers, agitating. I had some of it in my department.”
The former Business Secretary added: “The trick to being a good minister is to find the good ones quickly, bring them close and try and get the bad ones out of your department as quickly as possible.”
Her latest comments came as the four contenders prepared to go back to back in 20 minute speeches to the bruised Conservative membership in Birmingham.
Mr Cleverly’s odds were shortening last night to take the Tory crown.
The bookies have Jenrick as the favourite in the leadership race at 8/11 with the winner announced at the start of November.
Cleverly is seen as the big mover of the week in the betting stakes at 7/2 as he was 12/1 last week, Betfair said.