Badenoch Leads Tory Leadership Race Amid Tensions

Kemi Badenoch is the leading candidate to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader, according to a Conservative Home poll that puts her at 26% support among Tory members. The contest to replace Sunak is shaping up, with figures like Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat each at 13%, and Suella Braverman at 10%. Shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell has suggested that Sunak should remain in place until November to allow for a thorough leadership contest. This timeline would potentially allow for greater scrutiny of candidates during the Conservative Party conference in September. The leadership race comes amid broader political tensions, highlighted by the recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which has revived discussions on reducing political polarisation. Labour's Lisa Nandy has called for a calmer political climate, emphasizing the need to move beyond divisive culture wars.