In a message posted on social media, external, Cleverly thanked his supporters for their backing adding: “Sadly it wasn’t to be.
“We are all Conservatives, and it’s important the Conservative Party unites to take on this catastrophic Labour government.”
Following the result, both Badenoch and Jenrick praised Cleverly and hinted that they could give him positions in their shadow cabinet if they should win the overall race.
Badenoch said Cleverly’s campaign had been “full of energy, ideas and optimism” and she looked forward to “continuing to work with him”.
Jenrick praised a “brilliantly” fought campaign adding: “The Conservative Party needs you in its top team in the years ahead.”
Speaking to the , Jenrick said he was “so pleased” to be in the final two and promised to offer “professional, competent leadership” aimed at “regaining the trust of the British public”.
He said his party needed to focus on the economy, the NHS and immigration rather than “going down rabbit holes”.
Badenoch said she was “delighted” to have topped the MPs’ poll and that it was “time to go bold”.
She said Conservatives needed to “talk about everything, we need to talk about the system, which I think is broken”.
“I think Labour are having problems because they are working with a broken system.”
Jenrick has made leaving the European Convention on Human Rights a key part of his campaign, but Badenoch said focusing too heavily on that topic would “shut down the conversation that we need to have with the entire country”.
