Biographer Claims Kemi Badenoch Plotted to Oust Rishi Sunak

A new book by biographer Sir Anthony Seldon alleges that Kemi Badenoch, the current leader of the Conservative Party, secretly plotted to remove former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from office before the 2024 general election. In 'Sunak at 10: The Last Conservative PM?', Seldon claims Badenoch viewed Sunak as rude and lacked respect for him, leading her to covertly support dissident MPs in 2023.

According to the narrative, Badenoch explored triggering a cabinet mutiny over immigration policies and contacted other ministers to gauge interest in changing the captain. Seldon asserts that while Badenoch considered issuing an ultimatum to Sunak, she ultimately refrained from a formal challenge. This decision was reportedly driven by a desire to avoid being blamed for the party's eventual election defeat or losing the leadership to Penny Mordaunt.

Seldon argues that this internal hostility contributed to the Labour Party's landslide victory. Kemi Badenoch has consistently denied these allegations of disloyalty.