As ballot papers are being sent to the doormats of thousands of Tory members, the leadership race is heating up. Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch are playing two very different games. Jenrick’s going all out on the media rounds as well as doing two televised speeches and Q&As (so far). Meanwhile, Kemi’s giving the press the cold shoulder, noticeably absent from the airwaves, instead opting to post an old Q&A clip from 2022. No surprise there considering Kemi’s had her fair share of bust-ups with the media…

Meanwhile, Popular Conservatism have given Kemi the slap for dodging their questions—slapped Kemi down for dodging their emailed questions—a set Jenrick happily answered—and are now supporting Rob. Though Liz Truss has since made it clear that doesn’t mean she’s throwing her weight behind him. Kemi has instead decided to take her pitch directly to the membership, travelling across the country to appeal to the members. One Badenoch backer, with a bit of shade, tells Guido:

“Campaigns that are trailing have to try and make up the gap with constant media appearances and demands for debates. It just all bears the strong whiff of desperation.”

Their first head-to-head debate will be tomorrow on GB News at 7 p.m. Expect some spicy blue-on-blue attack lines…