Kemi Badenoch pulls ahead in the Tory leadership contest

Kemi Badenoch is on course to trounce Robert Jenrick in the Tory leadership contest, a poll has found.

The ConHome survey of party members found that, with just a week in the race to go, Ms Badenoch is on 55 per cent.

Mr Jenrick is languishing on 31 per cent, with 14 per cent undecided. It is the first full-blown poll of party members, who will next week vote to decide the winner. 

Mr Jenrick has been trying to change his fortunes with a high-octane flurry of media appearances, but the survey suggests his campaign has run out of steam.

He has fallen from 37 per cent in a poll last month, while Mrs Badenoch's support has increased from 50 per cent. Mr Jenrick insisted yesterday the race was 'absolutely not' over and claimed that it was still 'neck and neck'.

Taking a swipe at Mrs Badenoch, whose campaign has been much less policy-orientated, he added: 'There's everything to fight for, and I'm certainly going off around the country as I have throughout the summer.

'And I think my message is resonating with members and with the public that we need to learn our lessons, we need to have strong and clear policies now, not the vague promise of one tomorrow... unite the party and take the fight to Labour as quickly as possible.'

The remarks came as he pledged that the Tories would increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP.

The leadership ballot closes at 5pm on Thursday and the new leader will be announced next Saturday.