2019 Conservative Party leadership election

The 2019 Conservative Party leadership election was a campaign to select the new leader of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party who, as leader of the largest party in the House of Commons, would also be Prime Minister (although since the Tories are well short of a majority, that isn't entirely automatic). The contest was launched after Prime Minister Theresa May was politely asked to fall on her own sword by the 1922 Committee, who were unable to change the party's constitution to vote her out in a vote of No Confidence.

Background
Per the result of the 2016 EU referendum, the Conservative Party's chief policy became to 'deliver Brexit'. With the resignation of David Cameron, Theresa May was elected leader and Prime Minister, and began a programme for negotiating a withdrawal deal favourable to the UK's economy. Negotiations with the twenty seven member states were difficult, as they had to be unanimous, and although much could be agreed upon the recurring problem was that of Northern Ireland's border with the Republic of Ireland. With the Troubles still fresh in Ireland's collective imagination, the Republic would not accept a police-patrolled border in Ireland and, refusing to back down, forced Britain to change its policies once more. This led to two possible solutions which would respect the integrity of the Good Friday Agreement: either the entire UK stays within a customs union with the EU, or Northern Ireland does. Both possibilities were objected by the increasingly-emerging Tory hardliners, who saw any negotiation with the EU as a betrayal of Brexit and would rather the UK leave the EU without any safety net than compromise. Due to this opposition, in April Theresa May reluctantly entered talks with the Labour Party to reach an agreement that would earn just enough support from Labour and Tory MPs that it would pass and become law. This led to even more opposition from MPs who considered her a traitor to her party. Finally, in mid-May she was forced to resign.

Candidates
Due to the party's perception that Brexit was delayed entirely due to May's incompetence, a number of Tory MPs have jumped at the opportunity to lay on a bed of nails wear a crown of thorns take over for her. Per party rules, the Conservative Party's MPs will vote for their preferred candidate, with those with the lowest votes being eliminated each round. Ultimately, when only two candidates are left, their 160,000 members (70% men, 97% white and a majority over 55) will take over and vote for the leader.

Currently, the candidates have split into two camps: Eurosceptics who are aiming for a No Deal scenario, and former Remainers who will do anything to reach a Deal.

James Cleverly

 * Prior experience: Former Deputy Chair of the Conservatives, now working in the Exiting the European Union department

Seen as a Theresa May loyalist, however he holds the view that a No-Deal Brexit is better than no Brexit at all. Withdrew on 4 June He provides clear evidence of the fallacy of nominative determinism.

Kit Malthouse

 * Prior experience: Housing Minister

Has only been an MP since 2015, but before that worked in London's City Hall under then-Mayor Boris Johnson. Campaigned to leave the EU in 2016. Chief claim to fame was the Malthouse Compromise, supposedly a brilliant plan to create a Brexit that all Conservatives could support; the EU laughed and it failed ignominiously. Withdrew on 4 June.

Esther McVey
Eliminated on 13 June

Andrea Leadsom
Eliminated on 13 June

Mark Harper
Eliminated on 13 June

Matt Hancock
Withdrew on 14 June.

Dominic Raab
Eliminated on 18 June

Rory Stewart
Eliminated 19 June

Sajid Javid
Eliminated 20 June

Michael Gove
Eliminated 20 June

Sir Graham Brady

 * Prior experience: Chairman of the 1922 Committee, former

Brady's career has generally been to represent the Tory backbenchers (MPs not in the government), and for nine years was Chairman of the very oversight committee which tried to oust May in 2018. In putting his hat in the ring, Brady has thrown away his career for this race, so has an additional incentive to win.

Penny Mordaunt

 * Prior experience: Secretary of State for Defence, 2019-present

Mordaunt was part of the Vote Leave campaign.

Priti Patel

 * Prior experience: Secretary of State for International Development, former

Seen as being on the right-wing of the Tory Party. Supported leaving the EU in the 2016 referendum. Forced to quit Theresa May's cabinet after holding secret meetings with the Israeli government while ostensibly on holiday. Not known for her intellectual prowess, hence often referred to as Priti Vacant. Appointed Home Secretary (equivalent of the US State Department) after the December 2019 election and is therefore a key member of the Confederacy of Dunces under Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Under her leadership, the Home Office has continued to pursue aggressive/racist anti-immigration policies against against immigration, legal and illegal, past and present, migrants (see Theresa May). Under her rules, her parents would not have been allowed to settle in the UK; swings and roundabouts as they say. Has apologised for the devastating impact of the Windrush generation mess (see Theresa May) but has made bloody sure that most affected people will have died before they receive any compensation for lost jobs, broken families, lack of access to health services, stopped pensions and being stranded abroad for years.

Final results
After weeks of campaigning, the results were announced on 23 July. Surprising nobody, Boris Johnson won by a margin of 66% - 33%