Kemi Badenoch has dismissed concerns about potential challenges to her Conservative leadership, saying she cannot "spend all my time worrying about regicide". The Tory leader claimed she does not notice people "trying to create harm" due to her thick skin.
Speaking to the Financial Times during the week she reshuffled her top team, Badenoch acknowledged that the public are "not yet ready to forgive" the Conservative party more than a year after their general election defeat. She described her resilience as "extremely useful in this job".
Leadership challenges loom ahead
Reports suggest many Conservative MPs who initially backed Badenoch in the leadership contest have privately turned against her. The New Statesman reported that MPs believe her core team of advisers are "lightweights and sycophants".
Some faltering Conservatives may seek to trigger a vote of confidence in November, once a grace period protecting her from such moves ends. When asked about suggestions of plotting by Tory MPs, Badenoch told PA on Wednesday: "If nobody put their name to it, then I'm not paying any attention to it."
Cleverly returns to frontbench
Among the changes in Badenoch's reshuffle was the return of Sir James Cleverly to the front bench as shadow housing secretary. In his first full day in the role, Cleverly accused the Prime Minister of prioritising accommodation for asylum seekers over "hardworking young people".
Cleverly said he was "furious" when the Prime Minister "blithely" told senior MPs there are "plenty of houses" around the UK for asylum seekers. Sir Keir Starmer had insisted there was "lots of housing available" to accommodate rising numbers of homeless people and asylum seekers during questioning earlier this week.
Housing tensions escalate
Cleverly told Times Radio he "genuinely couldn't believe" the Prime Minister's comments about housing availability. He also expressed understanding for local people's frustrations regarding demonstrations outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers.
There has been a series of protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, since an asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault. Cleverly's new role makes him the opposition counterpart to Angela Rayner in her housing, communities and local government brief.
Reshuffle continues
Rayner said on Tuesday that immigration was among issues having a "profound impact on society" as she updated the Cabinet on her work on social cohesion. Badenoch completed her reshuffle on Wednesday with further changes to the junior ranks of her shadow cabinet.
Among the appointments was the return of Stockton West MP Matt Vickers to the job of deputy chairman of the Conservative party. Vickers held the position for two years from summer 2022 but resigned last August to back Robert Jenrick in the leadership election, whilst retaining his role as a shadow home office minister.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
