Ditch Kemi? Plotting MPs are 'deluded'

Former Tory leader IDS hits out at rebels

- By Jonathan Walker

KEMI Badenoch must be given time to win back the trust of angry voters who have not forgotten the mistakes and failures of the last ‘Tory Government, former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has said.

He hit out at Conservative MPs who blame their leader for hundreds of losses in last week’s local elections, after the results sparked speculation Ms Badenoch could be ousted.

Sir Iain, who was axed as Tory leader after just two years in a 2003 coup, said: “To those few Conservatives now briefing journalists that another leadership election is the answer I say, if after four leadership

‘Most colleagues seem oblivious to the mess the party's in’

elections and utter disarray amongst MPs over the last five years, another leadership election is what they believe the public voted for, then they are deluded.”

His intervention follows suggestions some colleagues are plotting to replace Ms Badenoch with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick or ex-Home Secretary James Cleverly.

Sir Iain, who was as Work and Pensions Secretary for six years, said his party remained unpopular because of mistakes made when in govern-ment — not because of Ms Badenoch.

Writing for the Express he. said: “Reform made gains because of the abiding memory of our failure to deliver what we promised.”

Conservatives needed to show they were listening to voters by setting out plans to control the nation’s borders,