Tory leadership rivals MUST sign ‘non-aggression pact’ to avoid brutal slanging matches, Kemi Badenoch demands
KEMI Badenoch has demanded Tory leadership rivals sign a non-aggression pact to avoid brutal blue-on-blue slanging.
The frontrunner’s team is understood to be bracing for a circular firing squad in the contest as part of a “Stop Kemi” campaign.
It came as mudslinging in the race to replace Rishi Sunak intensified today, with candidates accusing one another of leaking confidential conversations and having “public nervous breakdowns”.
On the right, Ms Badenoch is being challenged by ex-Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, who is pitching himself as the only candidate who can stop the boats and deliver economic growth.
From the moderate wing Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat will pledge to unite the fractured party and win back the public’s trust.
An MP supporting Mr Tugendhat told The Sun: “The constant division and infighting over the past few years is why we lost the trust of the British people, and why so many of our colleagues lost their seats.
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“Tom didn’t participate in that infighting then. He won’t participate in it now.
“Ultimately, the only person who benefits from division in our party is Sir Keir Starmer.
“We can win in five years. But we can only do that if we unite our party, rebuild trust with the British people and deliver with an honest broker at the helm.”
An MP backing Mr Jenrick said: “Everyone knows that we lost the election first and foremost because we failed to deliver on migration, the economy, and the NHS.
“Voters need to trust that we don’t just talk tough but that we mean what we say.
“Rob’s proved to the public that he walks the walk on immigration which is why he beat the MRP polls, squeezed Reform, and was the only MP in his area to be re-elected.”
A new YouGov poll today revealed Ms Badenoch has the most support among Tory members on 31 per cent support.
She is followed by ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman on 16 percent and Mr Tugendhat on 15 per cent.
Mr Jenrick is in sixth place on 7 per cent vote share.
This afternoon Ms Badenoch blasted her colleagues for leaking to the press the details of a fiery shadow cabinet meeting, where she laid into Mr Sunak and his disastrous election campaign.
Details of the wannabe Tory Leader accusing rival Ms Braverman of having a “very public nervous breakdown” also spilled to the public.
The Shadow Housing Secretary posted on X: “It’s a shame our discussions in Shadow Cabinet were leaked yesterday.
“If there is no private space to discuss our Party’s challenges, we will never fully address what the electorate told us last week.
“In government, we had too much nodding along in the room and arguments outside it. That culture needs to change.
“We need to be honest with one another in private, and united in the direction we take afterwards.”
Hitting back at the post, Ms Braverman said: “I’d be interested in knowing whether Kemi thinks I’m having a ‘very public nervous breakdown’.”
Ms Badenoch is also the bookies’ favourite to succeed Mr Sunak, with odds on the Betfair exchange sitting at 13/8.