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A Conservative MP has been criticised for saying he would not be voting for Kemi Badenoch as party leader because she is "preoccupied with her own children".

Sir Christopher Chope that "you can't spend all your time with your family" while being leader of the opposition.

He said he would be voting for Robert Jenrick - Badenoch's opponent in the Tory leadership race - arguing that Jenrick's three children are "a bit older".

Responding to his comments, Conservative MP Victoria Atkins said: "This is the 2020s, not the 1950s - all working mums and dads juggle family, career and general life."

She added: "That one of our final two impressive candidates also happens to be a mum reflects the modern Conservative Party and modern life. Here’s to all working mums."

Speaking to GB News, Jenrick said Chope was "definitely wrong".

"Kemi and I both have three children. She's a great mum, I'd like to think I'm a good dad. We will both be able to balance this, whoever leads our party forward."

Badenoch's campaign team is not commenting on the remarks.

Speaking to ITV Meridian's The Last Word programme, Sir Christopher said Jenrick had "brought more energy and commitment to the campaign, and being leader of the opposition is a really demanding job.

"And, much as I like Kemi, I think she's preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably.

"But I think Robert's children are a bit older, and I think that it's important that whoever leads the opposition has got an immense amount of time and energy.

"I understand from talking to colleagues that Kemi spends a lot of time with her family, which I don't resent at all.

"But the consequence of it is that you can't spend all your time with your family as at the same time being leader of the opposition.

"You could argue that Margaret Thatcher's family suffered as a result of the commitment and dedication which she gave to leading our country."

Labour MP Helena Dollimore, who was appearing on the same programme, said: "Many women will be shocked by those comments.

"I think there should be no barrier to women standing in public life."

Conservative Party members are currently picking who they want as leader and the result will be announced on 2 November.

Badenoch and Jenrick are the final two candidates, after James Cleverly was knocked out in a ballot of Tory MPs earlier this month.

It is not the first time a candidate's parental status has been raised in a Tory leadership contest.

In the 2016 contest, Andrea Leadsom apologised to Theresa May after suggesting being a mother made her a better candidate.

'Tory boys'

Meanwhile, former cabinet minister and new editor of The Spectator magazine Michael Gove has given his thoughts on the two candidates to the �鶹Լ��’s Today Podcast

Jenrick's strengths, he said, were his “diligence, rigour, hunger".

"He is someone who has focused in on some of the big questions that have been the Conservative Party’s internal conversation. And he has answers; you may not like them, but he has precise and specific solutions.

"I think one of his weaknesses is that he looks like a typical Tory politician.”

Gove admitted he shared the same appearance: “It’s a stain that I bear. And given the strength of feeling against Tory boys expressed at the last general election, that’s a challenge.”

When asked his thoughts on Jenrick’s opponent, he said he was “fond” of Kemi Badenoch.

“At a critical moment when I was running for the leadership in 2019 she was conspicuously brave in my defence, when she didn’t need to be. And courage is Kemi’s hallmark.”

“One of the criticisms directed at her is that she’s too willing to get involved in a scrap; I think it’s a virtue.”

But the veteran Tory politician would not say he was backing either candidate, joking that an endorsement from him might even be counter-productive given his unpopularity with some in the party.