A supporter of Robert Jenrick’s campaign for the Conservative leadership has said his party should avoid selecting a candidate with an “irascible” style, which they suggested reflected the approach of rival Kemi Badenoch.
Sir John Hayes, an early supporter of Jenrick’s campaign, called for a Tory leader who is “emollient but principled” and pointed to his preferred candidate’s experience in government.
The comments came hours after it was confirmed that Badenoch, the former business secretary, and Jenrick, a former immigration minister, would face off in the last round of the Conservative leadership contest.
In the fourth and final round of MP voting on Wednesday, Badenoch secured the support of 42 colleagues, while Jenrick won 41. Badenoch had gained an extra 12 supporters from the last round, while Jenrick won a further 10.
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The result meant former home secretary James Cleverly, once considered the race’s frontrunner, was eliminated.
Looking ahead to the head-to-head contest between Badenoch and Jenrick, two Conservative right-wingers, Sir John Hayes suggested that only the former immigration minister could “unite the party.”
In a BBC Radio interview, the onetime staunch Suella Braverman ally said: “Robert has a much broader experience of government than Kemi. He is appealing and can unite the party. We don’t need an irascible leadership. We want a leadership that is emollient but principled.”
Speaking on the same programme, Badenoch backer Nigel Huddleston appeared to reject the suggestion that his preferred contender is “irascible”, claiming instead that the shadow housing secretary can “connect with lots of people.”
Huddleston said: “Kemi can connect with lots of people. Her message is very different from the others. She starts from first principles and values that will unite all Conservatives. Other candidates have gone out there with very deep dive specific policies.”
Huddleston’s claim that Jenrick has too many “specific policies” appears to be a reference to the former immigration’s detailed leadership manifesto, which includes a pledge for Britain to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
After Cleverly was knocked out of the contest on Wednesday, Conservative Party members will now vote on who to elect as party leader between Badenoch or Jenrick, with the result announced on 2 November.
Commenting on the race, the Labour Party insisted Conservative activists are being forced to choose between “two of the architects of Tory failure”.
Ellie Reeves, the Labour Party chair, said: “Both Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick are central figures in 14 years of hapless leadership and decline, and have already proven they’ve learned nothing from the mistakes that took the Conservative Party to its worst defeat in modern history.”
She added: “While the endless bickering continues, Labour is fixing the foundations and sorting out the mess that these two deeply unimpressive figures left behind.”
Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrats’ Cabinet Office spokesperson, delivered a similar message after Jenrick and Badenoch were confirmed as the last-standing leadership contenders.
She said: “If this were an interview process they would’ve put the job advert up again.
“The best the Conservatives can come up with is a failed former minister who’d vote for Donald Trump and a failed former minister who thinks maternity pay is excessive.”
“Whoever wins this election will be tainted by the Conservatives’ legacy in government for years to come.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
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