Tory leadership: Kemi Badenoch blasts ‘smears’ as Robert Jenrick edges ahead

The former Business and Trade Secretary allegedly asked civil servants if the department would pay for a flight from Mexico to Texas for her holiday, as that would have been cheaper than a business class return trip from her official business in the Central American nation.

The Guardian reported that she was rebuffed. A spokesperson for Ms Badenoch commented: “The business department said there were no complaints or investigations into Kemi.”

They added: “Given that today they’ve confirmed that the proper process was followed on the ministerial code, we look forward to having to deny tomorrow that Kemi faked the moon landings.”

It comes as the Tory leadership hopeful dismissed accusations that she bullied civil service staff while serving as Business Secretary as “smears”.

The Conservative MP, now shadow communities secretary, is alleged to have created an intimidating atmosphere at the Department of Business and Trade in a report by the Guardian.

“Let’s be clear: these allegations are smears from former staff who I sacked after they were accused of bullying behaviour, lying about other colleagues to cover up their own failures and general gross incompetence,” Ms Badenoch wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Intolerable behaviour I would not stand for,” she added.

She said the accusations would not “stop me or my campaign” and claimed her bid to be the next Conservative leader following the party’s general election rout had “spooked the lefties and now they’re coming for the one person they know can beat Keir Starmer”.

Ms Badenoch, the MP for North West Essex, added: “The renewal of my party and the country is too important to let the Guardian, acting for the Labour Party, disrupt.”

A spokesman for Ms Badenoch added that she has “high standards and expectations, and she has cultivated high-performing civil service teams who enjoy working with her”.

The article claimed Ms Badenoch was responsible for behaviour that traumatised staff, leading at least three of them to leave their jobs at the Government department.

A Department of Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on individual HR matters. However, there have never been any formal complaints or investigations into the previous secretary of state’s conduct at this department.

“It is common for Government departments to seek the views of civil servants and to discuss the results of those surveys in routine meetings with staff. We do not tolerate abuse or bullying of any kind.”

The reports come as Mr Jenrick crept past Ms Badenoch to become the bookies’ favourite to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.

The former Immigration Minister secured the backing of Brexiteer Conservative peer Lord Frost.

Mr Jenrick, who oversaw record levels of net migration when in government, is running on a pledge to reduce the number of people entering the country legally and illegally.

He resigned from Rishi Sunak’s government in 2023, claiming that the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda did not go far enough.

Six candidates are challenging for the leadership – Mr Jenrick, Mrs Badenoch, Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly and Dame Priti Patel – with the winner announced on November 2.

The field will be narrowed to four in time for the Tory conference in the autumn before MPs vote for a final two who will face a ballot of Conservative members.