Priti Patel enters race to lead UK opposition Conservative Party

LONDON, - Former British interior minister Priti Patel launched her bid to become new leader of the opposition Conservative Party on Saturday, making her the fifth candidate seeking to replace the outgoing Rishi Sunak.

Sunak stepped down as leader following the party's worst ever election performance earlier this month, but said he would stay as acting leader until his successor was chosen.

Patel became the first female candidate to replace him, launching her bid with the slogan "Unite to Win" - a reference to the fractured and often factional nature of the party following 14 turbulent years in government.

"It is time to put unity before personal vendetta, country before party, and delivery before self-interest," she said in a statement.

Patel resigned as International Development minister in 2017 over undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials that breached diplomatic protocol, but returned to government in 2019 under then Prime Minister Boris Johnson as his interior minister.

She also previously held junior ministerial roles in the Department for Work and Pensions and in the Treasury.

Patel has been a member of parliament since 2010 and previously worked in public relations.

Ahead of nominations closing on Monday the other candidates so far are: former security minister Tom Tugendhat, former foreign minister James Cleverly, former work and pensions minister Mel Stride and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

The leadership contest will see the party's elected lawmakers first narrow the field to four candidates who will make their case at the Conservative Party conference which begins in late September.

The number of candidates will then be narrowed down to two, who will be put forward to a vote of all party members.

The new leader will be named on Nov. 2.

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