Kemi Badenoch has strengths – just not those of an opposition leader

A year ago , Kemi Badenoch was the bookies’ favourite to replace Rishi Sunak as the next leader.

She topped the ConservativeHome leaderboard as the party members’ pick.

Now there is a despairing mood among the remaining Tory MPs who are wondering how quickly they can oust her.

Kemi Badenoch's critics have always accused her of being lazy.

Critics say she has an engineer's laser focus that is rare in Westminster .

On things she cares about her crusade against identity politics, for example, she is relentless.

Things like networking and reading briefs on subjects that don’t interest her get ignored.