Priti Patel Enters Conservative Leadership Race, Claims Rivals Have Personal Grudges

Kemi Badenoch, the shadow housing, communities and local government secretary, is poised to announce her candidacy for the Conservative leadership this weekend, ahead of the nomination deadline on Monday. In the wake of a significant by-election defeat, fellow candidate Priti Patel has positioned herself as a unifying figure, asserting that the party's poor performance is attributable to leadership failures rather than the party members themselves. Patel emphasized that core conservative values remain popular among voters and called for a focus on translating these values into effective policies. Patel's comments appear to be a direct challenge to Badenoch and Suella Braverman, both of whom have been vocal in their criticisms of the current leadership. She stated, “We must now turn our conservative values into strong policies to bring about positive change for people across our country,” highlighting her commitment to preparing the party for the next general election. Badenoch has recently accused an unnamed rival of engaging in a smear campaign against her, referencing a "dirty dossier" that allegedly contains comments from her past. She expressed her dismay over the lengths some individuals will go to undermine her candidacy, indicating that she would address these issues more thoroughly in the future. The leadership race is set to intensify with upcoming party conferences and hustings scheduled for early October, where candidates will seek to garner support from party members and MPs. The new leader is expected to be announced on November 2, following a series of votes and public engagements.