Leadership hopeful’s campaign team say Gove ‘and acolytes’ have been responsible for the ‘drama that has led our party to where it is’. Welfare watchdog criticises government for rushing winter fuel payment cut,

Sir Christopher Chope says ‘you can’t spend all your time with your family at the same time as being leader of the opposition’

Ms Badenoch’s rival Robert Jenrick has been more visible in the media since the two were named as the final candidates in the contest.

The school absence rate for England for the autumn and spring terms of 2023-24 was down on the same period the year before – but still much higher than pre-pandemic, according to figures out from the Department for Education.