HARD-LINE Tory rightwinger Robert Jenrick topped the poll in the first-round ballot to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party.

But Mr Jenrick, a former immigration minister who recently called for shouting “God is great” to be criminalised, only won 28 votes from the shrunken parliamentary party.

Former home secretary Priti Patel came last with 14 votes and is now out of the contest.

Favourite Kemi Badenoch, an always-angry culture warrior, was runner-up with 22 votes while James Cleverley, another ex-home secretary, won 21.

The two candidates regarded as more moderate, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride, also go forward with 17 and 16 votes respectively.

The second ballot will be held next Tuesday. It is anticipated that many of Ms Patel’s votes may now go to Ms Badenoch.

The four candidates remaining after next week will get the chance to address the Tory Party conference in Birmingham at the end of the month.

Thereafter the 121 Tory MPs will reduce the list further until two candidates remain. 

They will then be balloted on by the Tory Party membership, which is mainly hard-right and elderly.

Rishi Sunak’s successor will finally be revealed on November 2.

As well as his anti-Muslim views, Mr Jenrick is known as an extreme pro-Israel advocate and was found to have breached the law over a planning deal with former porn baron and Tory donor Richard Desmond when a minister.