Rishi Sunak has been given the backing of a former Tory Party leadership contender in what has been seen as a blow for Boris Johnson. Neither Mr Sunak nor Mr Johnson has yet to officially launch their campaign.
However, Kemi Badenoch, who admitted she was previously a member of “the Boris Johnson fan club”, says she will be backing Mr Sunak. The International Trade Secretary insisted now is not the time for “nostalgia for the cavalier elan of 2019”.
Ms Badenoch said the Tories are not “organising a popularity contest”, and stressed the party is “not a vehicle for any one individual’s personal ambitions”. Earlier on Saturday (October 22), Mr Johnson returned to the UK from a Caribbean holiday.
