Kemi Badenoch addresses the Women and Equalities Committee
Conservative Party members have given major boosts to Jacob Rees-Mogg, Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman, as they head into a year that could see yet another Tory leadership election.
The Conservative grassroots website, Conservative Home, held a poll of party members asking who their favourite backbencher and minister of 2023 was, and the results were unsurprising.
Jacob Rees-Mogg came out top in the backbencher of the year poll, winning 64 out of 611 votes.
No doubt helped by this daily show on GB News, Sir Jacob’s views are not only high in quantity but frequently chime with the Conservative Party’s members.
He beat last year’s winner, Lee Anderson, whose promotion to deputy chairman of the Tory Party should have technically invalidated him as a candidate.
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Jacob Rees-Mogg proved the most popular Tory backbencher in 2023 (Image: Getty)
Mr Anderson got 33 votes, compared to his 54 last year, dropping to fourth place.
The poll also reflected Miriam Cates’ rise to prominence over the last 12 months, as she came a close second to Sir Jacob.
Ms Cates was only elected in 2019 to the Red Wall seat of Penistone and Stocksbridge, however prominent campaigns against woke issues, and her co-chairmanship of the New Conservatives group, have seen her stock rocket.
Coming in third place was Suella Braverman, who won 33 votes, and following Mr Anderson up in fifth place was former Prime Minister Theresa May.
Ms Braverman had the rare distinction of placing highly in both the backbencher of the year and minister of the year poll, reflecting her sacking as Home Secretary in November.
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Kemi Badenoch took the crown for most popular minister (Image: Parliament Live)
Taking the 'frontbencher of the year' crown was Kemi Badenoch, who came second in last year’s poll.
Ms Badenoch took home 174 votes, around a quarter, with Conservative Home putting the win down to her “pugilistic style”.
The Business and Trade Secretary also frequently wins plaudits for her anti-woke campaigns and championing pro-Brexit free trade deals around the world.
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Suella Braverman came in second place, with 124 votes.
Penny Mordaunt came third with 85 votes, after a year that saw her thrust front and centre for her sword-carrying prowess at the Coronation.
The win will be a boost to Ms Badenoch and her supporters, as she is often spoken about as a future Tory Party leader.
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