Tories should get behind Badenoch ‘for the time being’, says Conservative MP
Sir John Hayes, who had backed Robert Jenrick to be party leader, has said the Conservatives should get behind Kemi Badenoch “for the time being”.
He told Sky News Ms Badenoch’s job is to “pull the party together”, and it is the task of Tory MPs to “help her do that”.
“I wish her every success,” he says, adding: “I think there is every prospect that she will be successful.”
However, Sir John went on to say that in politics “things do change”.
But, he says, “for the time being, we need to back Kemi Badenoch, and we need to win an election – and that’s what I’m focussing on.”
Sam Coates, our deputy political editor, presses Sir John on his choice of words – “for the time being” – and the message that sends about the future of the party.
Sir John says “that wasn’t the implication of what I said”.
He reiterates that the Conservatives’ focus must be on “fighting the Labour government”.
