James Cleverly Rules Out Shadow Cabinet Role

James Cleverly, the Shadow Home Secretary, has announced he will not take a frontbench role under the next leader of the Conservative Party, opting instead to return to the backbenches. After a surprising exit from the leadership race, where he was initially favored, Cleverly described feeling 'liberated' from his prolonged time in frontline politics and expressed a desire not to be constrained again. He plans to focus on various issues including education and the economy while leaving the possibility of a future leadership bid open. Both leadership contenders, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, have expressed interest in including him in their shadow cabinets, but Cleverly has declined. His decision follows a disappointing final vote where he was unexpectedly eliminated, which he called a 'punch to the gut'. Although stepping back for now, Cleverly's future political ambitions remain uncertain.