Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leadership contest’s Emma Raducanu, finally lost momentum. She put on just one vote to secure 59 backers, and is out. But that’s not the end of her story in this battle to find Britain’s next prime minister. Where she and her supporters now place their votes will determine which two Tory MPs are whittled to one by the votes of 160,000 ordinary members of the Conservative party.
It would be extraordinary if Badenoch threw her weight behind Penny Mordaunt, given her highly personal charge that Mordaunt as equalities minister was too liberal in her policy towards trans people. It’s a charge that Mordaunt has rejected, but there’s no hint of forgive and forget on either side.
What about Badenoch’s highest profile supporter, Michael Gove? I doubt he’ll reveal who he is backing next. But right from the start it has been widely assumed in Westminster he’ll end up as a Sunak supporter.
What about Badenoch’s highest profile supporter, Michael Gove?
Sunak is not home and dry.
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