Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick distances himself from supporter who says Kemi Badenoch is ‘preoccupied with her children’

Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has distanced himself from comments by a supporter who suggested rival Kemi Badenoch could not be the next head of the party because she was “preoccupied with her children”.

Christopher Chope, the Conservative MP for Christchurch, said in an interview that he was supporting Mr Jenrick because he believed he had brought “more energy and commitment to the campaign” to replace Rishi Sunak.

Mr Chope went on to say: “As much as I like Kemi, she is preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably.

“Robert’s children are a bit older, and I think it’s important that whoever leads the opposition has got an immense amount of time and energy.”

Asked later in the ITV News Meridian interview whether he meant that a woman could not stand for the leader of a political party if she had young children, Mr Chope said: “I’m not saying that at all – I was one of Margaret Thatcher’s staunchest supporters.”

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He added: “What gives me the concern is that I understand from colleagues that Kemi spends a lot of time with her family which I don’t resent at all… but the consequence of it is you can’t spend all your time with your family at the same time as being leader of the opposition.

“You could argue that Margaret Thatcher’s family suffered as a result of the commitment and dedication which she gave to leading our country. It’s a perfectly fair point.”

Mr Chope’s comments have sparked a backlash from within the Tory party, including from Mr Jenrick’s campaign team.

A source told Sky News: “Rob doesn’t agree with this. He’s raising three young daughters himself.”

Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins posted on X: “This is the 2020s, not the 1950s. All working mums and dads juggle family, career and general life.

“That one of our final two impressive candidates also happens to be a mum reflects the modern Conservative Party and modern life. Here’s to all working mums.”

And Nickie Aitken, the former MP for Cities of London and Westminster, wrote: “I was 7 months pregnant and with a toddler in tow when first elected a councillor in 2006.

“During their childhoods I became a council leader and MP. Like all working mums, political or otherwise, I juggled and made it work with my husband. Chope’s comments just show what a dinosaur he really is.”

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Mr Chope’s comments are reminiscent of the 2016 Tory leadership campaign, when Andrea Leadsom, then an energy minister, suggested in an interview she would make a better party leader and prime minister than Baroness May because she was a mother and had “a very real stake” in the UK’s future.

Ms Leadsom later apologised to her opponent and withdrew from the race, leaving Baroness May unopposed. Baroness May went on to lead the party and was prime minister from 2016 to 2019.

Ms Badenoch and Mr Jenrick are the final two candidates vying to replace Mr Sunak as Conservative leader after James Cleverly, the candidate from the centre, was knocked out of the contest last week.

The party membership vote will close at 5pm on Thursday 31 October and the winner will be announced on Saturday 2 November.