To the Tory leadership race, which is picking up pace with only three weeks to go. The two finalists are set to take part in a GB News TV debate on Thursday, and have today been busy prepping viewers with their visions for the party. Kemi Badenoch featured in today’s Telegraph while Robert Jenrick hosted a campaign event in Westminster. Jenrick’s team are insistent that their man’s public-facing approach is better than Badenoch’s journalist-shy stance – but his rather awkward football fumble today may give them cause to think otherwise…
After a speech on house-building, income tax and the future of the welfare state, Jenrick opened the floor to a Q&A from reporters in the audience. More energised on questions of policy, the wannabe Tory leader was thrown off when quizzed on Tuesday night’s news that German football guru Thomas Tuchel has become the new manager of the England squad – replacing Gareth Southgate. Asked for his take on the new manager, the usually-slick Jenrick became a little less sure-footed – and revealed that the first he’d heard of the news was, er, at that very moment.
Muddling his way through the answer, the leadership contender replied uncertainly:
On the new England manager… I have to confess, I haven’t even seen the news while I’ve been here this morning… Thomas Tuchel? Ah, okay, that’s a good choice.
Hardly the most full-throated endorsement, eh? And more than a little humiliating for the candidate, not least given the Tuchel news was plastered across every UK newspaper this morning. Talk about dropping the ball…
Watch the clip here:
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