KEMI Badenoch says premature Tory leadership speculation is “disrespectful” to Rishi Sunak.
But the Business Secretary yesterday refused to rule out a tilt should the PM resign after an election defeat.
She is darling of the party’s grassroots and currently the bookies’ favourite to succeed Mr Sunak.
However she declined to engage in post-poll jockeying because her constituents “don’t like us talking about ourselves”.
Ms Badenoch told GB News: “People knew that I tried to run two years ago.
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"I didn't win.
"Rishi Sunak is the one who had the confidence of MPs.
“And I think it's actually disrespectful if people are talking about what they're going to do after the leadership when he's still there.
“My job now is to make sure that I win my seat [and] as many of my Conservative colleagues win their seats and do the very best we can for the country and that means supporting the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in what is a very, very difficult job.”
Grant Shapps, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat are all expected to run for leader if they hold on to their seats.