Kemi Badenoch backs Rishi Sunak over PM role

       Kemi Badenoch has hit back at reports she is part of a Tory WhatsApp group called "Evil Plotters".

       The Business and Trade Secretary, who is a favourite among the party faithful, criticised colleagues as she toured broadcast studios yesterday for "stirring" by suggesting she could replace Rishi Sunak.

       But The Guardian has now reported that she is a member of a WhatsApp group with MPs backing her as a future Conservative leader.

       A spokesman for Mrs Badenoch did not deny she is part of the "Evil Plotters" chat, but claimed there was a "targeted campaign" against her.

       The spokesman said: "This is exactly the sort of stirring Kemi was referring to when she told people to stop messing around on Sunday.

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       "Having lunch, speaking to MPs, and having a parliamentary special adviser is not a plot, it is the day-to-day job of being a secretary of state.

       "This utter nonsense is clearly part of a targeted campaign against Kemi and anyone reading it should treat it as such."

       Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, a key backer of Mrs Badenoch, is also said to be part of the group.

       It comes after Mrs Badenoch yesterday insisted those naming her as Mr Sunak's successor were not her friends.

       She told Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: "They need to stop messing around and get behind the leader.

       "The fact of the matter is most people in the country are not interested in all of this Westminster tittle-tattle.

       "Quite frankly, the people who keep putting my name in there are not my friends. They don't care about me. They don't care about my family or what this would entail. They are just stirring."

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       749 Comments

       Tory plotters warned that May day coup against Rishi Sunak is 'too late' to oust the PM

       90 Comments

       POLL: Should Rishi Sunak be replaced as Tory leader? Vote here

       168 Comments

       However, Mrs Badenoch did not deny having aspirations for the top job.

       She told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "If you'd asked me two years ago in January 2022 I would have laughed it off and said it was a completely crazy idea.

       "You never really know these things until you're in the moment. What I would remind people is that after Liz Truss left I stood up and said I'm not running again, Rishi's the person who should do the job. I did so because I worked with him at the Treasury, I knew he had a handle on the economy."

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