Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak has gained a valuable ally in his likely bid for Number 10. It comes as Boris Johnson backers were challenged over claims he has reached the magic number required to secure a spot on the Tory ballot paper.
In a blow to Mr Johnson’s potential campaign to seek a second stint in Downing Street, International Trade Secretary and former leadership contender Kemi Badenoch threw her weight behind the ex-chancellor, insisting now is not the time for “nostalgia for the cavalier elan of 2019”.
While she admitted she had “on occasion” been a member of “the Boris Johnson fan club”, she said the Tories are not “organising a popularity contest”, and stressed the party is “not a vehicle for any one individual’s personal ambitions”.
