Robert Jenrick, Conservative Leadership Contender, has criticised Kemi Badenoch for failing to present any policies, calling it “disrespectful” to Tory members. The candidates are coming up to the end of their campaign to replace Rishi Sunak, who led the party to defeat at the general election in July. Jenrick has signed up to the yellow card penalty system but now questions Badenoch’s campaign approach. Badenoch has called for the party to return to “first principles”, as opposed to simply presenting policy promises or targets, which may not be fulfilled.
The pair have contrasting views on policy. Jenrick supports leaving the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which he has placed at the heart of his campaign. Badenoch has accused Jenrick of offering “easy answers” on immigration and of calling for Brexit without a plan. However, she has not entirely ruled out leaving the ECHR. Instead, she has called for a wider plan rather than just a throwaway promise to win a leadership election.
Conservative Party members are now partaking in an online vote after selecting two candidates from a series of coalition-building votes. The vote will close on 31 October, with the victor to be unveiled on 2 November. Jenrick reiterated that all Conservatives who wanted to become a candidate at the next election would have to sign up to leaving the ECHR if he became their leader.
Badenoch’s campaign source rejected the criticism, stating: “Kemi and Rob have different campaign approaches, and she has no desire to criticise his approach. Conservative Party members are so tired of the Westminster infighting that cost us votes at the last election. Kemi wants to unite the party around conservative principles and lead us back to government.”
The leadership contest started in July when six candidates joined the race, and it has been overseen by Bob Blackman, 1922 committee chair. Blackman has publicly criticized candidates who attack other rivals during the campaign, and has said constant backbiting and attacking colleagues was a key reason “why the party did so badly in the general election”.
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