There will be no second chance’: Kemi Badenoch suggests electing rival Robert Jenrick as Tory leader instead of her would be the ‘end’ of the party as voting begins_Nhy
Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch today warned Tories that failing to make her leader could spell the end of the Conservative Party.
In a broadside at her rival Robert Jenrick she said the defeated party has ‘one chance’ to select the right leader.
In an interview with the Telegraph the former minister, who has kept a low profile since a difficult party conference performance, claimed that ‘there’s not going to be a party’ if the ‘wrong’ choice is made.
They are vying to replace Rishi Sunak as leader, with party members due to cast their ballots in the coming days and the winner announced on November 2.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Badenoch said the ‘endless tossing out of leaders’ had ‘damaged the party brand’.
Whoever takes over from Mr Sunak will be the party’s third new leader in just over two years, following on from Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Badenoch said the ‘endless tossing out of leaders’ had ‘damaged the party brand’.
In a broadside at her rival Robert Jenrick she said the defeated party has ‘one chance’ to select the right leader.
Ms Badenoch said: ‘If we get this wrong, there’s not going to be a party. There’s no second chance. We have one chance to get this right.
‘This endless tossing out of leaders as if they’re just disposable has been one of the things that has damaged the party brand.
‘People want to see some stability and some certainty. This is not the time for more psychodrama. We need to get serious and I think members are very serious about wanting to pick a leader for the long term, and they are looking very closely at which candidate best represents their views.’
As leader of the opposition, the winning candidate will face off against the Prime Minister regularly, including at the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions.
In her Telegraph interview, Ms Badenoch said that her team would be ‘Labour’s worst nightmare’.
‘I understand them better than they realise. I know where their weak points are. I know that they do not start with principles, or certainly, they don’t have the same principles that we do,’ she said.
However Mr Jenrick insisted today he was the best candidate to take the party forward.
They are due to take part in a leadership event with GB News on Thursday evening, where they are expected to take questions from members.
The final two candidates were confirmed last week after shadow home secretary James Cleverly unexpectedly failed to make it through the final ballot of MPs.
Six MPs initially put their name forward for the contest, but Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat also did not make it through the MP ballots alongside Mr Cleverly, leaving Ms Badenoch and Mr Jenrick in the race.
The winner of the contest is due to be announced on November 2.
