A veteran Tory MP was criticised for claiming the woman battling to become the next leader of the Conservative Party would be too “preoccupied” with her children to do the job properly.
Sir Christopher Chope, 77, said he believed Kemi Badenoch’s three young children, aged between five and 11, would distract her if she became leader of the opposition.
He told ITV he is backing Robert Jenrick for Tory leader instead because the former immigration minister would have more “time and energy”.
Mr Jenrick also has three children, aged 13, 11 and nine.
“I myself am supporting Robert Jenrick because I think he’s brought more energy and commitment to the campaign, and being leader of the opposition is a really demanding job,” Sir Christopher said.
“And, much as I like Kemi, I think she’s preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably.
“I think Robert’s children are a bit older, and I think that it’s important that whoever leads the opposition has got an immense amount of time and energy.”
I was 7 mths pregnant & with a toddler in tow when 1st elected a councillor in 2006. During their childhoods I became a council leader & MP. Like all working mums, political or otherwise, I juggled & made it work with my husband. Chope’s comments just show what a 🦕he really is. https://t.co/nNrzdhew4K
— Nickie Aiken (@twocitiesnickie) October 17, 2024
Sir Christopher denied accusations that he believed mothers could not lead a political party, adding that he had been one of Margaret Thatcher’s strongest supporters.
However, both of the former Tory Prime Minister’s children were in their 20s when she became Conservative leader in 1975.
Sir Christopher added that he understood “talking to colleagues that Kemi spends a lot of time with her family”.
This was “not possible” to combine with being opposition leader, he claimed.
Labour MP Helena Dollimore hit back saying: “I think many women will be shocked by those comments.
“I’m really proud that we live in a country where we’ve had women who have become prime minister, we’ve got the first woman chancellor at the moment, I think there should be no barrier to women standing in public life.”
A Jenrick campaign source said: "Rob doesn't agree with this. He's raising three young daughters himself."
Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins praised "working mums" and said that "this is the 2020s, not the 1950s".
Responding to a clip of the exchange on social media, she said: "All working mums and dads juggle family, career and general life. That one of our final two impressive candidates also happens to be a mum reflects the modern Conservative Party and modern life. Here's to all working mums.”
Former Conservative MP for Cities and Westminster, Nickie Aiken, said: “I was seven months’ pregnant and with a toddler in tow when first elected a councillor in 2006.
“During their childhoods I became a council leader and MP. Like all working mums, political or otherwise, I juggled and made it work with my husband. Chope’s comments just show what a [dinosaur] he really is.”
Tory members are voting in the coming days for their new party leader, who is due to be announced on November 2.
Mr Jenrick and Ms Badenoch made it to the final two in the contest after James Cleverly failed to make it through the final round of the MP's ballot last week.
On Wednesday, Ms Badenoch said during an online rally that she is running a "grassroots campaign" rather than a "media campaign".
