Tory Leadership Race Opens Up After Gaffes by Front-Runners
- Jenrick and Badenoch both suffer missteps at a critical time
- Party insiders warn Conservatives delusional about prospects
This article is for subscribers only.
The contest to replace Rishi Sunak as UK opposition leader suddenly appears wide open, after the two candidates long seen as the front-runners picked the worst possible moment to have campaign stumbles.
Both Robert Jenrick, the bookmakers’ favorite, and former Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch faced intense criticism for comments they made during the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Birmingham this week. The entire event is focused on candidates making their leadership pitches to grassroots Tories, who make the final decision in just one month’s time.