WATCH: Amber Rudd says it is ‘entirely possible’ she will mount Tory leadership bid
2 min read
Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has said it is “entirely possible” that she will enter the race to become the next Tory leader.
In her strongest hint yet, the senior frontbencher said she was keeping the “door slightly ajar” to the possibility, while playing down reports of launching a joint-ticket with Boris Johnson.
Theresa May has vowed to step down as party leader and Prime Minister once the Commons backs a way forward on Brexit, prompting a raft of MPs to begin planning their bids to succeed her.
When asked by BBC Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett whether she would be among those to put themselves forward, Ms Rudd said: “I am going to continue to support the Prime Minister.
“She has said, as you rightly say, that she is going to leave after the Withdrawal Agreement of the first stage is through so frankly what I think we should all be doing is trying to support her to make sure we do just that.”
But she added: “I can tell you I don’t have a plan for it, I’m choosing my words carefully here.”
Ms Rudd went on to deny she was “working on it”, but added: “What I’ve said is that I’m not planning to run, so I have kept the door slightly ajar, but I’m not committed to it at the moment.”
When asked if she would be forced to “step in” if none of the candidates were acceptable to those on the One Nation wing of the party, she added: “That is entirely possible… I don’t rule it out.”
Elsewhere the former Home Secretary said she was “not supporting anybody”, when quizzed on rumours that she was plotting a joint bid - branded “Bamber” - with Mr Johnson.
But she added that the way in which Britain leaves the European Union was an issue that she and the ex-foreign secretary "really disagree on".
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