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Award-winning journalist who exposed cyberscams is arrested

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Award-winning journalist who exposed cyberscams is arrested
Getty Images US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stands with Mech Dara, a 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero, for his work in CambodiaGetty Images

Mech Dara has been honoured for his work by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken

Mech Dara, an award-winning Cambodian journalist who has reported extensively on human trafficking and corruption, has been arrested and charged with incitement.

Dara, who has reported for the BBC, has been charged over five social media posts which could “incite social unrest”, a court spokesperson said. He faces up to two years in jail.

Last year US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken honoured him for his work exposing online scam operations based in Cambodia.

Rights groups have spoken out over his arrest, with Human Rights Watch calling on the country’s government to “immediately release him”.

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Dara was detained after being stopped at a highway toll booth on the border of Koh Kong and Sihanouk province in south-west Cambodia on Monday.

A relative in the car with Dara told the BBC that they were waiting to go through the booth when one military police car, accompanied by five other cars, pulled up alongside them.

“We got him,” one said while they were detaining Dara, his relative recounted, adding that Dara told his family not to worry as he was being taken away.

Local rights group Licadho reported that Dara messaged them, explaining that he had been arrested, before his phone was taken away.

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His whereabouts were then not known for almost 24 hours, when he appeared in court in the capital Phnom Penh and was charged with incitement to commit a felony. He was sent to pre-trial detention and faces between six months and two years in jail if found guilty.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesperson Y Rin told the BBC that the charges were related to five social media posts made in September, but did not elaborate.

In a statement, the court said the Facebook posts showed “edited pictures” of a “tourist attraction” which it said were “fake”.

Is said the posts were “full of ill-intention – inciting, causing anger among the public that was intended to make people think bad of the government”.

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The vague charge of incitement is often used in Cambodia against government critics.

One of Dara’s relatives, who also works as a journalist but requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals, said Dara had been denied access to a lawyer and they were “so concerned” about his safety.

“The authorities didn’t show us any official arrest warrant or court papers. I’ve lost hope, I’m so concerned about practising journalism in Cambodia now,” the relative said.

One of Cambodia’s most prominent journalists, Mech Dara has been at the forefront of investigating the country’s cyberscam compounds, which are staffed mostly by trafficked workers.

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Often victims are lured by adverts promising easy work and extravagant perks. Once they arrive in the country, they are held prisoner and forced to work in online scam centres. Those who do not comply face threats to their safety. Many have been subject to torture and inhuman treatment.

Last year, Mr Blinken awarded Dara the US State Department’s human trafficking Hero Award for his work.

The US State Department said it was aware of reports of his arrest and was “following developments closely with great concern”.

The US last month sanctioned powerful Cambodian tycoon and ruling party Senator Ly Yong Phat, nicknamed the “king of Koh Kong” after his influence over his home province, over alleged connections to the cyberscam industry.

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The Cambodian government said the sanctions were politically motivated.

Rights groups have voiced concern over Mech Dara’s arrest.

Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said “Mech Dara is a respected journalist who has reported on important topics in the public interest such as online scam centres. Yet Cambodian authorities appear to have wrongfully arrested him yesterday.

“They should immediately release him.”

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Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates (AHRLA), called Dara’s arrest “outrageous and unacceptable” and “is emblematic of the Cambodian government’s repressive, over the top reaction to any sort of criticism from the media”.

Cambodia’s independent media landscape has been hit hard in recent years, with publications including the Cambodia Daily and Voice of Democracy – both of which Dara worked for – closed down by authorities.

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How to spot rare ‘upside down’ error on your 50p that makes it over 500 TIMES more valuable – is one in your change?

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How to spot rare 'upside down' error on your 50p that makes it over 500 TIMES more valuable - is one in your change?

AN ULTRA-RARE error on a 50p coin has skyrocketed its value – you might have one in your wallet.

The Benjamin bunny coin is one of four 50p coins that were released in 2017 to celebrate famed author Beatrix Potter –  coins with Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten and Jeremy Fisher on were also released as part of the collection.

An error on the 50p coin makes it over 500 times more valuable

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An error on the 50p coin makes it over 500 times more valuableCredit: MEN Media
If the Queen is facing the same way Benjamin Bunny, its value increases drastically

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If the Queen is facing the same way Benjamin Bunny, its value increases drasticallyCredit: EBay

TikTok account CoinCollectingWizard instructed viewers to keep their eyes peeled for the lucrative coin.

He said: “If the Queen is upside down on your 50p coin then it’s worth ‘big money’. This 50p is an error all because the design is facing the wrong way.

“The error that’s left the Queen’s head in a different direction on the obverse design of the Benjamin Bunny on the reverse will have happened in the minting process.”

He added: “When you flip it round, the Queen should be facing the same way Benjamin Bunny. If the Queen is facing any other way, then you have found a rare rotation error worth money.

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“Error coins are still legal tender so long as the original coin is still in circulation too.”

The influencer added: “That means you can easily come across one in your change.

“Often times error coins can sell for a lot more than their face value. So this is definitely something you need to be looking for as it can be easily missed.”

Concluding the video, he advised coin fans to take a closer look at the Benjamin Bunny 50p coin and said: “Flip that rabbit over and check the Queen.”

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25 million of the coins were minted, so alone it won’t usually go for much more than £2.60.

But finding one with a mistake is rare, though it does make the coins more desirable at the same time, especially as they’re produced in low numbers.

Exact date to spot on rare 1p worth up to £200,000

Could I be quids-in with a rare error coin?

Often times error coins will sell for a lot more than their face value.

In April a rare £1 sold for £155 because it had upside down writing on its side.

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Plus in February last year, another mis-struck £1 coin was sold for £112 as it had an error that left the silver-coloured inner part of the pound looking like a fried egg.

Error coins are still legal tender – so long as the original coin is still in circulation too.

That means you could easily come across one in your change.

Get an imperfect coin verified by the Royal Mint, and you could then place a value on yours if you come to sell.

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It will also let you know if your change is legitimate or not as unfortunately there are many fake coins in circulation.

Online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are helpful to see how much it could be worth too.

Plus, the number of bids on the listing can help you establish that the coin is the real deal as well.

The Benjamin bunny error coin only had two bids placed on the listing, so many coin experts will be skeptical of whether it actually sold for the price it said it had.

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Also remember that if you’re selling on eBay, you need to keep in mind that a buyer could pull out as well which means it won’t have sold for the price that it says it has.

Rare coins and valuable notes – is yours worth a mint?

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Volvo Scraps Another Ambitious Goal

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Volvo Scraps Another Ambitious Goal

Volvo Cars has officially abandoned its ambitious target of selling 1.2 million cars per year by 2025.

CEO Jim Rowan confirmed that the goal is no longer realistic.

According to Boosted, the Swedish-Chinese brand had originally set the target when it went public three years ago, aiming for significant growth.

But it has since been forced to adjust its strategy due to tougher-than-expected market conditions.

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In 2020, Volvo’s leadership, including former CEO Håkan Samuelsson, predicted a 55% increase in production and sales by 2025.

They also expected a profit margin of 8-10%. But unpredictable changes in the global car industry, especially in the electric vehicle sector, disrupted those plans.

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Pink Floyd agrees deal to sell music rights to Sony for $400mn

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Pink Floyd, the British rock band, has agreed to sell the rights to their vast catalogue of music including hits such as Wish You Were Here and Money to music label Sony for about $400mn.

The deal includes Pink Floyd’s recorded music, according to two people familiar with the matter, resolving the fate of one of the most valuable assets during a boom time for sales of vintage rock music.

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The terms also include the band name and the artists’ “likeness”, one person added, which means that the label will have the rights to merchandise and spin-offs such as movies and TV series.

Songs have two sets of copyrights — one for the songwriting and one for the recording, or master copy. Pink Floyd has agreed to sell their recorded rights, but not the songwriting, said people familiar with the matter.

The agreement, which was struck this week, will mark the end of years of infighting and drama between band members over the details of the sale.

The deal marks the latest in a series of acquisitions of “heritage” artists BY Sony, which also struck a deal to acquire some of the rights to the British rock band Queen this year for about $1bn.

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Pink Floyd is one of the best-selling groups of all time, with their hits including Another Brick in the Wall. Their music had been one of the remaining big-name catalogues up for grabs after deals struck by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and others in recent years. Rights to both Dylan and Springsteen were acquired by Sony, too.

But the group’s potential payout had been delayed for at least two years by disputes between band members over the tax structure of the deal, as well as bassist Roger Waters’ controversial comments.

An attempted sale in 2022 — which has attracted bidders such as Hipgnosis, Warner Music and BMG — was put on hold.

Waters and his bandmate David Gilmour have been at odds for more than four decades, which had previously jeopardised the band’s ability to cash out on their life’s work. The band’s other surviving member is drummer Nick Mason.

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Sony and Gilmour declined to comment. Waters was not available for comment.

Heritage artists continue to be popular with new, younger audiences thanks to streaming services as well as use of their music in TV shows and films. Sony, like other labels, seeks to add value to its music catalogues through licensing agreements across streaming services, gaming and other media.

While the prices of music catalogues have softened from the highs reached in 2021 and 2022, there is still strong demand from investors for highly-coveted assets like Pink Floyd. Private equity giant Apollo in July agreed to fund Sony with up to $700mn to back music deals.

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Wetherspoons is serving £1.79 pints at over 700 pubs in just DAYS – but you’ll have to be quick

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Wetherspoons is serving £1.79 pints at over 700 pubs in just DAYS - but you'll have to be quick

WETHERSPOONS will serve £1.79 pints in over 700 of its pubs next week – but you better be quick.

The popular chain announced that a 12-day beer festival will take place across all 809 UK Wetherspoons pubs.

The festival will take place from October 9 until October 20

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The festival will take place from October 9 until October 20
There will be 30 different real ales to choose from

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There will be 30 different real ales to choose from

Beer lovers can enjoy 30 different real ales from October 9 to October 20.

The deal will include beers not previously available in Wetherspoons and others have been brewed specially for the festival.

Some will even be travelling from as far as Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA.

Order an ale either at the bar or via the app – but we recommend having a browse of the festival magazine first, which you can also find online or via the app.

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Marketing manager Jen Swindells said: “The festival is a great celebration of real ale.

“It will allow us to showcase a selection of superb beers, including those from brewers as far afield as Japan and New Zealand, as well as those closer to home, over a 12-day period.

“All of the beers will be available at great value- for- money prices.”

Specifically, for as little as £1.79.

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Jen added: “The festival will also give our customers the opportunity to enjoy a number of beers which have not previously been available in the pubs, as well as those brewed specially for the festival.”

If you’re typically a lager drinker, lighter ales can be a great gateway into the ale world.

Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin lifts the lid on how his beers are so cheap

The Urban South: Who Dat is a golden ale, originally brewed in Louisiana, USA.

Flavoured with lemongrass, green grapes and grapefruit, Wetherspoons describes it as “crisp” and “refreshing”.

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This is will be its first appearance in the UK.

On the other side of the coin is Elgood’s North Brink Porter.

Brewed in Cambridgeshire, this deep ruby ale is described by spoons’ magazine as a “firm favourite”.

It also has a “deep roast aroma”, with a “toasty chocolate flavour” and “hints of espresso and liquorice”.

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Elgood’s North Brink Porter is a seasonal ale so it’s not brewed permanently.

Other beers in the line up include: Born to be Mild, a ruby ale by Conwy Brewery and Sun Lounger, a pale ale by Fyne Ales Brewery.

Plus; Salem Session, Mango in the Night, Sapphire Spoon, Banoffee Pie Golden Ale, and The Gloaming.

There are also vegan and vegetarian options available.

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If a whole pint is too much of a commitment, three third-of-a-pint tasters will also be available for the price of a pint.

How can I save money at Wetherspoons?

FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.

Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.

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So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.

Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.

For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.

Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.

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Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it. 

Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.

Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.

It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.

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As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.

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Travel

Incredible seaside hotel shaped like Noah’s Ark – with themed rooms including a British suite filled with teddies

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Noah's Ark Hotel is believed to have the first full-scale replica of the ark

A HOTEL that looks like Noah’s Ark, recognised as the first full-scale replica, is one of Hong Kong’s most quirky and unusual places to stay.

Noah’s Ark Hotel and Resort can be found on the island of Ma Wan, next to the world-famous Tsing Ma Bridge.

Noah's Ark Hotel is believed to have the first full-scale replica of the ark

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Noah’s Ark Hotel is believed to have the first full-scale replica of the arkCredit: noahsarkhotel.com.hk
The hotel is next to Tung Wan Beach and has spectacular views of the Tsing Ma Bridge

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The hotel is next to Tung Wan Beach and has spectacular views of the Tsing Ma BridgeCredit: noahsarkhotel.com.hk

The hotel appears as a vessel washed up on shore, extending onto the golden sands and shimmering waters of Tung Wan Beach.

Inside, guests can expect a choice of spacious deluxe double, twin or themed family rooms with amenities such as a separate shower and bathroom and queen size beds.

There are seven themed rooms, one of which is British themed – expect a union jack bedspread and rug, a model of a Royal Mail letterbox, and a room full of cuddly teddy bears.

Other themes include ‘Mushroom Forest’, with mushroom toys and a toadstool tent.

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Its two newest themed rooms are ‘Interstellar Voyage’, with rockets, planets and astronauts, and ‘Flying Adventure’, with planes and suitcases.

During their stay, guests can marvel at the resort’s Ark Expo and 4D theatre, where they can experience the flood of the ancient ark firsthand and discover the largest meteorite display in Hong Kong

They’ll also be surrounded by the thrill of the resort’s theme park, as well as panoramic views of the Tsing Ma Bridge from the zip line, and Adventureland Park.

There are three dining options at the hotel – the Harvest Restaurant, Harvest Beachside, and Noah’s Kitchen.

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New English hotel named among best in the world despite being open less than a year – with incredible secret spy bar

Harvest Restaurant offers international cuisine alongside views of Park Island Beach, Tsing Ma Bridge and Ting Kau Bridge.

Harvest Beachside is a new alfresco seaside restaurant equipped with leisurely style tables and seats.

And Noah’s Kitchen is an elegant, semi-open restaurant where guests can admire a vertical garden nature wall while they dine.

Ma Wan, despite being an island, is easy to get to. The best way to get there is to take the ferry from Central Pier or take the circular bus from Tseun Wan Bus Terminus.

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Other things to do in Ma Wan include chilling out at Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, located between the Park Island ferry pier and Noah’s Ark theme park.

There are also lots of family-friendly walking and hiking trails around, including the old fishing village on the water.

At the southern end of the island is the 69-meter-tall Tai Leng Tau Hill.

If you make it to the end of the 20-min hike, you can find one of the best viewpoints of Tang Lung Chau Island, Ma Wan Channel, and Tsing Ma Bridge.

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Noah’s Ark & Hotel Resort is also a 12 minute drive to Hong Kong Disney Land Resort.

Deluxe double bed rooms at Noah’s Ark start from £74 per night based on two adults sharing, including breakfast.

Some of the worlds quirkiest hotels

Icehotel – the hotel in northern Sweden is rebuilt each year with snow and ice. It was the world’s first ice hotel, opening in 1990.

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Hotel Costa Verde – located in Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica, the hotel has several airplane-themed accommodations, including a Boeing 727 fuselage suite, a Cockpit Cottage, and a railroad car-turned-restaurant.

Giraffe Manor – it’s a small hotel in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya which, together with its associated Giraffe Centre, serves as a home to a number of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes.

Dog Bark park Inn –  the hotel, located along Highway 95 in Cottonwood, Idaho, is built in the shape of a beagle, making it a famous landmark in the state. It is colloquially known as ‘Sweet Willy’ by local residents.

There are seven themed rooms at the hotel, including a British one filled with cuddly teddy bears

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There are seven themed rooms at the hotel, including a British one filled with cuddly teddy bearsCredit: noahsarkhotel.com.hk

The best hotels in the world were recently revealed, and a Hong Kong hotel was named one of them.

The Peninsula, which came in fourth on The Telegraph’s list, is the oldest hotel in Hong Kong having opened in 1928.

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Robert Jenrick inches ahead, but Kemi Badenoch isn’t out of the race yet

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Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick is aiming for an aura of invincibility at Conservative conference. At parties and rallies, a herald comes in the form of his Californian lawyer wife, Michal Berkner. Only later does the great leader himself arrive: a 5’5’’ princeling steered through the crowd by a phalanx of taller heavies.

As a strategy it’s raised some eyebrows among seen-it-all-before MPs. “Obviously you don’t want to wander around like a Johnny no-mates but behaving like the president of the United States is a bit much,” one Shadow Cabinet member told i. “We’re in rainy Birmingham. It pisses people off.”

But Team Jenrick have clearly taken the view that behaving like a winner engenders confidence in their man. Dozens of Tory MPs and activists have told i the momentum is behind the former immigration minister to come top of the ballot of Tory MPs when they vote to whittle down the candidates to the final two next week.

One member of the Shadow Cabinet said Jenrick is within “touching distance” of coming first. “He certainly seems like he wants it more than the other three,” another Tory MP added.

Despite the rain and the wind, the Tories are remarkably chipper. Some put it down to Labour’s early poor performance, but one MP suggested it was down to not having a proper leader in place. “It’s rather nice, perhaps we should keep it this way,” they joked. But with four candidates vying for support, attention is on who will be next to slip up. More worrying for Jenrick is how his colleagues are wondering whether his pronouncements are genuine.

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On Tuesday the gathering was awash with gossip over his claim that Britain’s special forces have been “killing rather than capturing” terrorists because human rights laws would prevent them being detained. One Shadow Cabinet minister said the remarks in a video were a deliberate political ploy designed to attract attention at a conference where the Tory party is only talking to and about themselves. “He’s gone off the reservation, but he will come back to the ranch,” they surmised.

Another member of the Shadow Cabinet said they had assurances Jenrick would rein in his right-wing polemic if elected party leader. “He has promised me he will turn to the centre,” they said. “I suspect he has told other people the same. The trouble is, because Rob has been on a journey, no one is sure what he stands for. Should I believe him or is he a smoother, more eloquent Liz Truss?”

On the main stage at conference on Tuesday afternoon it was the turn of Jenrick and James Cleverly, another Tory leader hopeful, to face questions. Some Tory members took the opportunity for a postprandial snooze, heads comfortable on tweed chests.

A suited Jenrick criticised Conservative campaign headquarters for the length of the leadership race and pledged a quicker vote for the membership if he reaches the final two, so the new Tory leader can respond to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget next month. He was on safe ground there.

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Jenrick told the audience he’s “sad” income tax is so high but can’t make any commitment to lower it, while he is also “sad” that hereditary peers will vanish from the House of Lords but won’t replace them. He revealed his tween daughter’s middle name is “Thatcher” after the former prime minister, failing to properly explain what’s wrong with, um, Margaret. He got the biggest applause when he said he would bring back grammar schools and prompted a laugh of genuine warmth when asked to choose between a weight-loss drug and a second doughnut. “That’s why I needed the Ozempic,” he joked.

As Jenrick and Cleverly addressed members, Kemi Badenoch chose to tour the conference hall trailing photographers. The former business secretary started conference in second place among her MP colleagues but has suffered what one MP described as “a couple of self-inflicted wounds” on the level of maternity pay and the minimum wage.

Jenrick has the most to gain by Badenoch blowing herself up during conference, the thinking goes, because the pair are jostling for the same pool of right-wing MPs. On current scoring Jenrick appears to be edging further ahead.

At a party on Monday night Jenrick’s wife Michal gamely posed, kissing an iced fairy cake embossed with his face. Jenrick’s supporters were cock-a-hoop, sharing newspaper headlines reporting earlier comments from Badenoch which suggested the minimum wage is harmful to businesses. “I can knock off and go to the pub at four when she carries on like this,” the Jenrick aide said. “She’s Kemikaze.”

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While Badenoch is damaged, she isn’t out of the race yet. She “reaches places others don’t and I’m a fan of her for that”, according to one Tory MP. “But I am leaning towards thinking she is too much of a risk to vote for next week.” Another MP praised her “evident authenticity”, but said there is now only a “less than 50-50” chance of her making the final two who will be put to a final vote of the party’s membership. A Badenoch campaign source hit back, saying, “Jenrick’s campaign can’t stop talking about Kemi. Their own candidate is so dull and controlled they have nothing positive to say.”

Multiple sources said that despite a vigorous campaign at the conference, they expect former security minister Tom Tugendhat to be knocked out at the next ballot. They said he will be beaten by former home secretary James Cleverly, who has also been accompanied at conference by his elegant wife, Susie. “James is edging Tom with the MPs,” one Tory MP said. Six further Tory MPs made similar assessments.

On stage Cleverly himself told members it’s not a question of if but “when” he makes the final two candidates, and a standing ovation cheered his supporters.

However, away from the main stage, three other MPs reported the opposite view. “Tom is high-energy; James’ heart really isn’t in it,” one insisted. “Nonsense to say Tom won’t get to the final two.”

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“It’s amazing what punches people start throwing when they’re on the ropes and having a low-energy conference,” a Tugendhat ally said.

Tugendhat has run a valiant campaign: his supporters pop up en masse to flashmob their guy with almost realistic spontaneity. Meanwhile his merchandising stand has had to be restocked. Perhaps every Tory with a Tom in their family has been squirreling away badges for cheap stocking fillers.

All four candidates are trying to hoover up the 16 MPs who voted for former candidate Mel Stride. He was knocked out in the last round before conference. Only three of those 16 have publicly declared who they will back next. “They will scatter to all four campaigns” said one Tory with knowledge of the supporter list. “They weren’t even the same 16 who voted for Mel the first-time round.”

Several of the MPs who formerly backed Stride told i they have yet to make up their minds yet. “I’m struggling to pick one,” one of the undecideds said. Another undecided MP said they would decide after the speeches by the four candidates on Wednesday morning.

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On Monday and the third day of Tory conference race, Jenrick is out ahead but by no means the runaway winner with the party’s membership. The three other candidates are still jostling for second place, but none has sealed the deal with MPs or the party faithful.

One Tory member put their dilemma succinctly: “All four are three quarters of the way to being the right leader, none is the full package. It’s not a done deal yet.”

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