James Cleverly: Army Reservist Withdraws From Conservative Leadership Race

James Cleverly arriving at Downing Street in 2018 (Picture: PA).

Army Reservist and Tory MP James Cleverly has withdrawn from the Conservative Party leadership race, less than a week as putting himself forward as a candidate.

The junior Brexit minister had been the 11th candidate to enter the race.

In a statement he said in putting himself forwarded for the Tory leadership, he had asked the Conservative parliamentary party to "make a leap of faith, skip a generation and vote for a relatively new MP".

"It is clear that despite much support, particularly from our party's grassroots, MPs weren't comfortable with such a move and it has become clear that it is highly unlikely that I would progress to the final two candidates," he said.

Mr Cleverly has spent more than 20 years as an officer in the Territorial Army, rising to the rank of Major.

He is part of the Central Volunteers HQ Royal Artillery and works as a Staff Officer in the 1st (UK) Armoured Division.  

Up until 2005 Mr Cleverly was the Officer Commanding 266 (Parachute) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers).

In October of 2017, he spoke in the House of Commons as an MP, supporting a new flexible working bill for the Armed Forces.

Mr Cleverly’s House of Commons voting record has shown he has supported the use of UK military forces in combat operations overseas and opposed an investigation into the Iraq war.

On December 2 2015, he voted to support UK air strikes against so-called Islamic State in Syria.

Then on November 30 2016, Mr Cleverly voted against an investigation into the contrast between public statements and private actions in the run-up to the Iraq war.