Conservative leadership race is 'neck and neck'

ROBERT Jenrick has insisted the Tory leadership race is "neck and neck" despite a new poll of Conservative voters giving Kemi Badenoch a 24-point lead.

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The former Home Office minister said there was "everything to fight for" a week before the results of the election are announced on November 2.

In a speech at Millbank Tower in central London, Mr Jenrick also announced he would seek to spend 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by the middle of the second parliament under a Tory government if he were elected leader.

The leadership hopeful has sought to draw a dividing line between himself and Ms Badenoch over the frontrunner's focus on "principles" over policy.