I'm afraid after a dreadful debate his legs lost it. Now it's probably Hunt vs Johnson. I'd back Hunt. Apart from anything else, Jeremy vs Jeremy is amusing and confusing.

How we build our hopes up, for a Messiah

Rory wasn't one - and neither is the winner, Boris

Churchillian/Gladstonian/Disraelian talent doesn't exist in UK politics today


We just have to accept our very mediocre politicians

Just like ke the US did


And earnestly hope that the EU doesn't slaughter us, on Brexit day...

There are rumours of some Tory MPs voting tactically in order to bump Rory Stewart out so that Boris Johnson wouldn't have to face him, but perhaps that's more flattering to Stewart than he deserves.

Tory leadership contest: Rory Stewart knocked out

(As can be seen in the video in that link, he has an awful habit when speaking of suddenly wrinkling his nose and drawing up his upper lip to reveal his redoubtable gnashers. Most disconcerting. It doesn't do him any favours!)

Unspecified (without data, or evidence) 'tactical voting' is rather vague...

Jo wrote:
There are rumours of some Tory MPs voting tactically in order to bump Rory Stewart out so that Boris Johnson wouldn't have to face him, but perhaps that's more flattering to Stewart than he deserves.

Tory leadership contest: Rory Stewart knocked out

(As can be seen in the video in that link, he has an awful habit when speaking of suddenly wrinkling his nose and drawing up his upper lip to reveal his redoubtable gnashers. Most disconcerting. It doesn't do him any favours!)

I can quite believe that voters were voting tactically. Why else would Rory lose 11 votes overnight, his message hasn't changed, and it is the only realistic message, the EU will NOT negotiate the deal any further. Rory's performance was quirky to say the least, but the environment was strange, sitting on stools with everyone shouting over each other. Rory is quiet and thoughtful, Gove was just shouting over everyone. He would push you under a bus, if it was advantageous to him.

The whole contest is a charade, debating to people who on the whole don't have a say in the outcome. The only people who have a say are tory mps, looking to secure their jobs in the future, and then 150,000 tory party members whose average age is 57, and are mainly brexiteers. Boris was obviously going to win straight from the start because he is the member's favourite, because he is a popularist and a brexiteer (for the sake of his own career), and probably because. He will obviously win in the end and I will look forward to see him fail dismally, like he has as foreign secretary.

Rory will be in the political wilderness now because he will not work under Boris. He can either wait for Boris to crash and burn (shouldn't be too long), or join the Lib Dems who are currently polling the highest out of all parties.

face it..you are going to get The Buffoon as PM.

Such is the fractured state of UK politics

I was very impressed with Rory Stewart overall. He seemed, for the most, a very genuine, thoughtful man. His eccentricities (and round these parts, I don't see how anyone can complain about such!) were by-and-large a positive. It did all just get a bit uncomfortable when he started hugging people.

I think there's a fair chance that his leap on Tuesday was a from Al 'Boris' Johnson's supporters switching to Stewart to ensure Raab was eliminated. Stewart commented that he had received more votes than he expected (people who had not declared support must have voted for him) and Raab was the one candidate likely to take votes from Johnson. Job done, they would have reverted to support their master.

Stewart certainly didn't shine in the 5-person debate, but I fear the truth is that he was fortunate to be there in the first place.

He's certainly inspired quite a few people though. A very positive development in UK politics.

It certainly sounds very plausible that tactical voting gave Rory Stewart a temporary boost.

I doubt he will join the Lib Dems. His voting record suggests he's a true blue Tory.

It will be interesting to see how he behaves from now on, whether he continues to appear genuine and principled with a desire to engage with the public. If he does accept a position in Boris's cabinet, his credibility will surely be gone.

Meanwhile, Sajid Javid is now out and Gove has edged slightly ahead of Hunt. Johnson versus Gove? I don't think I could stand to watch a debate between those two, though the BBC gives no suggestion there will be one.

I hope Rory keeps doing what he's been doing, but it's going to be hard being outside the tent. Popularity + exclusion seems ideal fuel for a messiah complex.

Re: tactical voting, it wouldn't be too surprising if Boris lent some votes to Hunt this afternoon. Really not sure how Hunt sits with the membership, but it's hard to see him landing many blows on Boris. Gove would have been much more of a handful.

Ah hell. I really don't care about these things. If it weren't for Sewart, I'd barely even have taken the trouble to learn their names.