As rumours grow of a stop Badenoch campaign, Tories cannot risk a stitch-up
Whispers at party conference suggest a surprise candidate could join Robert Jenrick in leadership race's final two
There are four candidates for Conservative leader plying the conference with themed hats and tote bags - but only two are sucking all of the oxygen. It is no accident of scheduling that Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch were the ones on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, much to the chagrin of their rivals.
Reason would then dictate they would be the final two selected by Tory MPs to face the party members' vote. If that transpires, the outcome would be very unpredictable. Jenrick has undergone a dramatic makeover and won the backing of the most MPs but he is virtually unknown to the wider public. Badenoch is the straight-talking renegade who is more of the members' darling but who terrifies many of her parliamentary colleagues.
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