October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election

Not to be confused with July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.

For leadership election of the Conservative Party of Canada, see 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.

The October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election will determine Liz Truss's successor as leader of the Conservative Party.

October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election

October 2022
Full results for all candidates below
Leader before election Liz Truss Elected Leader TBD

Procedure

In her resignation statement on 20 October, Liz Truss stated that the election would be completed “within a week”. The precise mechanisms will be set out by the 1922 Committee.

The principles of the procedure for selecting the leader of the Conservative Party are set in the party's constitution, while the detailed rules are agreed by the 1922 Committee executive in consultation with the Conservative Party Board. These state that nominations for the leadership are invited by the chair of the 1922 Committee, who acts as returning officer. When nominations close, a list of valid nominations is published. If there is only one valid nomination, that person is elected. If two valid nominations are received, both names go forward to the party membership.

Candidates

Publicly expressed interest

The following Conservative Party politicians publicly expressed interest in running for the leadership:

• Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden (2017–present)
• Suella Braverman, MP for Fareham (2015–present)
• Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2019–2022), MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (2015–present)
• Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North (2010–present)
• Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond, Yorks (2015–present)

Declined

The following Conservative Party politicians have been speculated as potential candidates for the leadership but declined to stand:

• Michael Gove, MP for Surrey Heath (2005–present)
• Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey (2005–present)
• Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge and Malling (2015–present)

Hypothetical polling

Liz Truss resignation polling

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Should resign	Should not resign	Neither	Don't know	Margin
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	530 Conservative members	55%	38%	—	7%	–17%
		218 Truss supporters	39%	57%	—	4%	+18%
		173 Sunak supporters	72%	17%	—	11%	–55%

Sunak vs. Truss

Dates conducted	Pollster	Client	Sample size	Rishi Sunak	Liz Truss	Neither	Don't know
14–18 Oct 2022	Opinium	N/A	476 Conservative members	64%	36%	—	—
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	N/A	530 Conservative members	55%	25%	15%	5%
17–18 Oct 2022	J.L Partners	N/A	500 Conservative members	60%	40%	—	—
				43%	28%	13%	12%

Multi-candidate polling

Dates conducted	Pollster	Client	Sample size	Kemi Badenoch	Suella Braverman	Michael Gove	Jeremy Hunt	Boris Johnson	Penny Mordaunt	Grant Shapps	Rishi Sunak	Tom Tugendhat	Ben Wallace	Nadhim Zahawi	Others	Don't know
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	N/A	530 Conservative members	8%	3%	1%	7%	32%	9%	0%	23%	1%	10%	1%	2%	2%
14–16 Oct 2022	Portland Communications	N/A	1,511 British voters	—	—	—	5%	16%	5%	—	21%	—	3%	—	—	50%

Liz Truss approval rating amongst members

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Question wording	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	Well/Badly	15%	83%	—	2%	–68%

Favourability ratings of potential replacements

Boris Johnson

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	29%	65%	—	7%	–36%

Rishi Sunak

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	34%	55%	—	13%	–21%

Penny Mordaunt

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	21%	38%	—	7%	–17%

Suella Braverman

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	11%	38%	—	50%	–27%
11–12 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	12%	35%	—	52%	–23%

Michael Gove

Date(s) conducted	Pollster/client	Sample size	Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Don't know	Net approval
17–18 Oct 2022	YouGov	1,724 British voters	12%	68%	—	20%	–56%