Kemi Badenoch is bookies favourite to be new Tory leader after four months of campaigning
KEMI Badenoch is the bookies favourite to be declared the new Tory leader today.
After nearly four months of campaigning the long-drawn out race to replace Rishi Sunak will finally draw to a close.
Sitting at 1/6 odds on the Betfair Exchange, Ms Badenoch is tipped to beat rival Robert Jenrick when the result is announced at 11am in central London.
Yesterday campaign teams for both contenders kept a low profile as they bunkered down and drafted versions of victory and loser speeches.
The announcement will draw the curtains on Rishi Sunak’s two years as leader of the party.
Despite speculation he could stand down and jet off to California, the ex-PM this week announced he intends to return to the backbenches and remain as an MP until the end of the Parliament.
Yesterday Ms Badenoch received a last-minute flurry of endorsements from Tory MPs.
The Shadow Housing Secretary now has the backing of 13 shadow cabinet members compared to three for Mr Jenrick.
Fresh YouGov polling yesterday showed 51 per cent of the public think the Tories are not very relevant or not relevant at all, while just 35 per cent said they were very or fairly relevant.
Ahead of the result Ms Badenoch said: “The Conservative Party is much more to me than a membership organisation.
“It is a family. Thank you to all who voted.”
Mr Jenrick said: “A huge thank you to all the amazing Conservative members, supporters, and campaigners who joined my campaign and supported my vision for the future of the Conservative Party.
“Together we can put an end to the excuses, move past the drama, and unite our party.”