Former Badenoch backer endorses Jenrick in Tory leadership race

Neil O’Brien says ex-immigration minister can ‘reboot’ party after heavy election defeat

A former minister has endorsed Robert Jenrick in the Tory leadership race after having supported rival Kemi Badenoch two years ago.
Neil O’Brien hailed Mr Jenrick as the best-placed candidate to tackle immigration and win back voters from Reform, as well as someone who understands the centre ground of British politics.
But Mrs Badenoch secured two major backers of her own on Saturday in Laura Trott, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and Tony Abbott, a former Australian prime minister.
Voting among Tory MPs begins this week, with the six-candidate field being cut down to five on Wednesday and then to four the following week. 
The other hopefuls are Dame Priti Patel, James Cleverly, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat. It is widely expected in Westminster that Mr Stride, the shadow work and pensions secretary, will be voted out of the contest first on Wednesday.
But a campaign source said: “Mel is impressing people at hustings and winning over colleagues from across the party. For the parliamentary ballot, we’re very confident the numbers are there. There is all to play for in this contest.”
Mr O’Brien served alongside Mrs Badenoch as a minister in the levelling up department until their joint resignations from Boris Johnson’s government in 2022. He was then among the most vocal backers of her bid to succeed Mr Johnson.
Writing for The Telegraph, Mr O’Brien hailed his former colleague as “smart, fresh, charismatic”, but said Mr Jenrick could “reboot” the Conservatives.
“The reason I’m supporting Robert Jenrick is because we need to use this leadership election to make a decisive change,” he wrote. “We need party unity, but unity is only possible around a clear position… We need someone who starts from the centre ground, but has a credible record and plan on the issues that are fuelling the rise of Reform.
“Robert did a rare and brave thing when he resigned on principle over immigration. It means he now speaks with credibility on the subject.”
At a speech in central London on Sunday, Mr Jenrick will seek to take the fight to Sir Keir Starmer, accusing the Government of “a declaration of war on the middle class”.
“So far, the guiding principle of Labour’s economic policy has been wealth destruction,” he will say. “Labour have jeopardised thousands of jobs in the North Sea through their arbitrary net zero targets, and their planned tax raids on top earners have already backfired.”
It comes as Ms Trott likened Mrs Badenoch to Margaret Thatcher and urged her fellow Tory MPs to support her former Cabinet colleague.
In an article for The Telegraph, Ms Trott said the circumstances of the next general election could mirror those of the 1979 poll when Thatcher won power from Labour.
“Back then we had a strong, authentic, and resolute leader – someone of conviction and principle willing to tell hard truths, make tough decisions and stand up for what she believed in. We need that again, and I see that in Kemi Badenoch.”
A second major boost for Mrs Badenoch’s campaign came from Mr Abbott. He served on the Board of Trade under her presidency while British entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership was finalised.
“To be included in what was originally a strict regional trade grouping was a massive coup for Britain and testimony to global Britain’s weight in the world,” he said. “It was also a tribute to the Secretary of State’s hard work and attention to detail.”
Mr Abbott said whoever led the Tories would have his “100 per cent support as a fellow conservative”, but praised Mrs Badenoch for “consistently fighting for a colour-blind country based on meritocracy, freedom and equality under the law.”
Speaking ahead of his first major leadership speech of the campaign, Mr Cleverly on Saturday said Sir Keir and Reform leader Nigel Farage were “two sides of the same coin”.
“They both think our best days are behind us and share the same pessimistic view of the United Kingdom,” he said.
“Starmer thinks life was better before we left the EU and Farage thinks it was better before we joined. They’re both wrong.”
He added: “We need a Conservative vision of a powerful, confident and sovereign modern Britain, and to reject Starmer and Farage’s declinist view of this great country.”