Kemi Badenoch has endorsed Rishi Sunak as the next leader of the Conservative Party and the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, comparing the frontrunner to Margaret Thatcher.
Many in Boris Johnson’s camp anticipated that Ms. Badenoch, who ran for Tory leader earlier this year, would back the former Prime Minister in his campaign to return to Downing Street.
The Trade Secretary stated, despite her admiration for Mr. Johnson, that Sunak was “the right man for the position.”
She stated in The Times, ‘I have been a member of Boris Johnson’s fan club on occasion. Even after leaving his administration, I appreciated his many strengths. During extremely difficult circumstances, he has been an asset to the country.
‘However, I am an even larger fan of Margaret Thatcher, a formidable politician who did not shy away from tough decisions, was exceedingly smart, and successfully implemented huge reforms by winning the argument and winning over the public.’
We need someone who can perform the same tasks. I think the individual to be Rishi Sunak.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch were urged to withdraw from the Tory leadership race last night so as not to split the right-wing Conservative support.
Brexit-supporting MPs warned that their odds of winning the Conservative leadership campaign were slim, but that they may damage Boris Johnson’s chances.
Yesterday, Ms. Braverman, who was fired as home secretary on Wednesday, was still attempting to gain the support of Conservative MPs.
She has not yet declared whether or not she would run, but even her closest allies acknowledge that she has little chance of success, especially if Mr. Johnson runs.
One senior Tory stated, “If they run, both of them will be a little late to the party.”
I highly doubt that Suella will run for office, but if she did, the right-wing support would be fragmented.
If she declares, she will receive a certain level of support, but I do not believe she will receive 100 nominations, and I believe she is aware of this. And I do not believe she wishes to split the vote.
Another former Cabinet member cautioned, “If Boris runs, it will be like throwing a boulder into a pond; the smaller fish [Suella and Kemi] will be swept away.”
Brexit-supporting European Research Group (ERG) backbenchers will meet on Monday for a plenary session to review the ideas of the contenders, though they are unlikely to vote en bloc.
In the previous election, the vote from the party’s right flank was split among four candidates.
Ms. Braverman, a former Attorney General, had previously pledged “quick and substantial tax cuts” and stated that she would suspend net-zero ambitions to address the energy problem and withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights.
Ms. Badenoch, meantime, expressed a desire for lower taxes and “limited government” that prioritizes the necessities.
She looked to be appealing to the anti-woke vote by decrying “the stifling of discourse” and emphasizing the need to “reinvigorate the fight for free expression.”
On Thursday, just hours before Miss Truss’s resignation, the right turned on her over allegations that she fired Ms. Braverman over an immigration dispute.
Former Brexit leader Lord Frost and senior backbenchers reacted angrily to rumors that the Prime Minister intended to relax illegal immigration regulations.
No. 10 then added fuel to the fire by refusing to confirm whether Miss Truss would adhere to the Conservative Party’s campaign vow to cut net migration overall.
According to insiders, Ms. Braverman was fired from her position as home secretary following a 90-minute’shouting match’ in which she warned the prime minister that it would be ‘crazy’ to reduce immigration regulations in order to encourage economic growth.
In violation of the ministerial code, she sent a classified document to a Conservative MP, according to Downing Street.
In her resignation letter, the former home secretary accused the prime minister of violating key promises and wavering on election objectives such as lower immigration.