Patriot ratings of Tory leadership contenders

The Conservatives are deciding who'll replace Theresa May as Party leader and prime minister.

Six contenders are still in the running, and we know quite a bit about them already.

But where do they stand on the key issues important to patriots: Brexit, immigration and Islam-related extremism?

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Odds: 1/9 favourite (Paddy Power).

Boris Johnson's a sharp and charismatic politician with an impressive leadership pedigree, notably as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016.

Brexit

A long-term Eurosceptic active in the Vote Leave campaign, Boris doesn't shy from the possibility of no deal, should EU leaders refuse to renegotiate.

Immigration

He advocates a fairly liberal approach to immigration, and has several times called for an amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Islam

Johnson wrote in The Spectator:

'... the problem is Islam. Islam is the problem.

'To any non-Muslim reader of the Koran, Islamophobia - fear of Islam - seems a natural reaction, and, indeed, exactly what that text is intended to provoke. Judged purely on its scripture - to say nothing of what is preached in the mosques - it is the most viciously sectarian of all religions in its heartlessness towards unbelievers.'

Woah, steady on Boris!

That was in 2005 - has he mellowed since?

Patriot rating: 3½.

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Odds: 12/1 'dark horse'.

Since Rory Stewart's TV appearance last week, he's been billed as 'the only serious threat to Boris Johnson', and 'Britain's Emmanuel Macron'. (Is that a good thing?)

The Old Etonian's been a keen traveller since his youth. During a 2002 trek in Afghanistan, he famously borrowed $300 on the promise that 'Mummy will pay you back'!

Brexit

Initially a Remainer, Stewart says he accepted the referendum result. He insists that 'We must get Brexit done', but opposes no deal.

Immigration

He told Conservative Home: 'I do not believe in fixed immigration targets.'

Islam

Despite having visited many Muslim countries, Stewart holds out hope for a modernised Islam. However, as a former soldier he's pretty hard-headed, and said of British ISIS recruits:

'We have to be serious about the fact these people are a serious danger to us, and unfortunately the only way of dealing with them will be, in almost every case, to kill them.'

Patriot rating: 3.

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Odds: 16/1.

Brexit

The foreign secretary wants to avoid no deal, and is willing to delay Brexit to negotiate a new agreement with the EU.

Immigration

He favours some form of 'skills-based' immigration system.

Islam

Mr Hunt appears to be an appeaser: recently, he hosted a Ramadan feast at the Foreign Office, standing to attention as the imam wailed to Allah.

On the plus side, he's a committed Christian, and has been campaigning for action against Christian genocide in the Middle East.

Patriot rating: 1½.

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Odds: 33/1.

It's doubtful Mr Gove's campaign can survive his recent coke-snorting revelations. But where does he stand on the key issues?

Brexit

He dislikes no deal, would prefer a modified version of Mrs May's agreement.

Immigration

Michael Gove wants to give free citizenship to EU nationals and relax immigration rules to draw in foreign workers.

Islam

According to Middle East Eye:

'Britain's environment secretary is best known as the unsung commander-in-chief of the Islamophobes inside the Conservative Party.'

Baroness Warsi called him an extremist, accusing him of 'radicalising' David Cameron. Impressive!

Patriot rating: 3.

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Odds: 80/1.

A man who rose by his own efforts from humble beginnings, Home Secretary Javid may be the best placed of all to deliver a 'blue collar' conservatism to win back working class voters.

Brexit

Javid backed Remain in the referendum, but claims now to be a Leaver.

Immigration

He revoked 'ISIS bride' Shamima Begum's citizenship, and is quite tough on bogus asylum seekers. However, he opposes major reductions in immigration.

Islam

Though raised a Muslim, Javid claims not to practice. He believes it's 'wrong' to say terrorism has nothing to do with Islam, that 'there's a special burden on the Muslim community' to tackle it.

Patriot rating: 2½.

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Odds: 80/1.

Lawyer and karate black belt Dominic Raab has been Conservative MP for Esher and Walton since 2010.

Brexit

EU officials dubbed Raab 'The Turnip' during his ill-fated stint as Brexit Secretary, for being unreliable and 'disingenuous'.

A founder of the Leave Means Leave campaign, he's the most hard-line Brexiteer of all the leadership contenders. In fact, some say he undermined Brussels negotiations purposely to make no deal more likely.

Immigration

Raab has campaigned against the 'right to family life' clause that has enabled many foreign criminals to escape deportation.

He's also spoken out about the negative effect of immigration on housing costs.

Islam

Being half-Jewish, Raab is concerned by Labour anti-Semitism; but he's surely aware of such currents in parts of the UK Muslim population too.

Patriot rating: 3.

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Several further rounds of voting between now and next Thursday will decide which two MPs go forward to the final ballot of the Conservative Party's 160,000 members.

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