Kemi Badenoch is “too busy with her children” to be Conservative leader, says Tory MP

However, he claimed that the Iron Lady’s family had “suffered from the commitment and dedication with which she led our country.”

Baroness Thatcher’s children were both in their 20s when she became Leader of the Opposition, much older than Mrs Badenoch’s.

The comments immediately sparked a backlash on social media, with Labor MP Stella Creasy posting on X, formerly Twitter: “This is why we need to urgently address paternity leave.”

“Because until people ask themselves whether fathers are as distracted by their children as mothers, we will always have dinosaurs among us… or in this case in the Modernization Committee in Parliament…”

Speaking to ITV News Meridian’s The Last Word, Sir Christopher said: “I myself am supporting Robert Jenrick because I think he has brought more energy and commitment to the election campaign and being Leader of the Opposition is a really demanding job. “

“And as much as I like Kemi, I think she understandably cares about her own children. But I think Robert’s children are a little older and I think it’s important that whoever leads the opposition has an immense amount of time and energy.”

He added: “What worries me is that I understand from conversations with colleagues that Kemi spends a lot of time with her family, which I don’t dislike at all.”

“But the consequence of that is that you can’t spend all your time with your family and be the opposition leader at the same time.

“And one could argue that Margaret Thatcher’s family suffered because of the commitment and dedication she brought to running our country. That’s a completely valid point.”