Kemi 'rips into' Rishi, blaming D-Day fiasco for losing Tory MPs their seats

Rees-Mogg: Party must win Reform voters back

- Christian Calgie and Katie Harris

KEMI Badenoch "ripped into" Rishi Sunak over the Tory election campaign at the first Shadow Cabinet meeting yesterday, say reports.

The Shadow Housing Secretary, who is seen as a frontrunner for the Conservative leadership, branded Mr Sunak's decision to call a surprise summer ballot without first telling his Cabinet as bordering on "unconstitutional".

She said the ex-PM had instead chosen to tell only a small group of colleagues, including his former par liamentary private secretary Craig Williams, who later admitted placing a bet on the election date.

Ms Badenoch is said to have called Mr Williams a "buffoon".

She added that Mr Sunak's early return from D-Day commemorations was "disastrous" and that it led to former MPs such as Penny Mordaunt losing their seats.

The ex-Business Secretary also said some Tories are failing to grasp the "enormity" of the party's defeat.

Ms Badenoch said former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who is a leadership rival, appeared to be having a "very public" nervous breakdown following a series of outspoken interventions.

Her blistering contribution came after other shadow ministers paid tribute to the ex-PM.

Mr Sunak apologised for the devastating election loss and said he took full responsibility.

A source told a newspaper they were surprised by the way Ms Badenoch had "ripped into" the expremier after his apology.

It came as Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly called for party unity as he warned against "bitter infighting and finger pointing".

He said: "We must get our act together. We need to unite in order to deliver.

"It will take humility and hard work to recover our reputation for competence and integrity, to rebuild trust in our party and unite behind a broad platform that will give people a reason to vote Conservative again.