Robert Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner among Tory MPs to take over the leadership of the party as former home secretary Dame Priti Patel was eliminated from the contest.

Former immigration minister Mr Jenrick picked up 28 votes in the first ballot of MPs, with bookmakers’ favourite Kemi Badenoch in second place on 22.

Shadow home secretary James Cleverly was one vote behind on 21, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat on 17 and shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride on 16.

Witham MP Dame Priti picked up just 14 votes and so was knocked out at the first stage of the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

Another round of voting will take place next week before the final four take their campaigns to the Tory conference starting on September 29.

After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for the party’s grassroots to choose between, with the result of the members’ ballot announced on November 2.

Some 30 Conservative MPs gathered in a parliamentary committee room for the result of the first ballot, a quarter of their total strength in the Commons.

Shadow communities secretary Mrs Badenoch claimed the result of the first round of voting showed there was “huge support” for her campaign.

She added: “It’s time to deal with hard truths today, rather than big problems tomorrow.

“I look forward to making the case for renewal around the country, with colleagues and members.”

Mr Tugendhat said it was a “privilege” to have made it through the first round and paid tribute to eliminated candidate Dame Priti.

He added: “Mel, James, Kemi and Robert are all friends and good Conservatives. However, only I can deliver the Conservative revolution that our party and our nation need.”

Mr Cleverly said “momentum” was on his campaign’s side, adding: “We can only unite our party with Conservative values and I am ready to lead, and win, the next general election.”

A Labour party spokesperson meanwhile said Tories had “successfully slimmed down the pool of contenders from six people who each played their hand in 14 years of chaos and decline, to five people who each played their hand in 14 years of chaos and decline”.

They added: “From what we have seen so far, not one of them is prepared to learn from the lessons of the past.

“It is a damning indictment of the state of the Conservative Party that these candidates are the best they have to offer.”