Suella Braverman pulls OUT of Tory leadership race & says party ‘doesn’t want to hear truth’ about why it lost election
SUELLA Braverman has pulled out of the contest for Conservative Party leadership.
The former Home Secretary said the party has branded her “mad, bad and dangerous” and that there is “no point” in running to lead it.
Writing for The Telegraph, Braverman said “most of the MPs disagree with my diagnosis and prescription” over why the Tories lost the July election.
She claims the party’s disastrous election result was down to failures on migration, taxes and “transgender ideology”.
Braverman, 44, wrote today: “The traumatised party does not want to hear these things said out loud.
“I cannot run because I cannot say what people want to hear.
“I’ve been branded mad, bad and dangerous enough to see that the Tory Party does not want to hear this. And so I will bow out here.”
She added: “I do not complain about this – it’s democracy in action and worked for Keir Starmer.
“I can only apologise to the people who backed me to stand. To the thousands of party members and the many disenchanted ex-Conservative voters who have written to me, I’m sorry.”
The former Cabinet minister said she had all the backing needed – 10 MPs – to enter the race but is choosing not to stand.
Braverman insisted the landslide win for Labour in July was not ” some freak, “loveless landslide” for Labour”.
Instead she says it was “predicted, preventable” and “deserved” after the Tories “got things monumentally wrong”.
A new Conservative leader will be officially selected on November 2 – with Sunak holding the role until then.
Her withdrawal from the race could bolster Robert Jenrick’s bid – former immigration minister – as her standing would have likely split the more Right-wing vote.
According to The Telegraph one of her backers was Sir John Hayes, an influential MP now expected to back Jenrick.
Other contenders in the leadership race include Priti Patel, Mel Stride, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat.
Braverman secured her seat for Fareham and Waterloo in July with a majority of over 6,000 votes.