Kemi Badenoch, a leading candidate to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader, acknowledges she may need to adopt a softer approach following feedback from colleagues who perceive her as occasionally abrasive.

Speaking on the BBC’s Newscast podcast, Badenoch attributed her manner to a high tolerance for stress and emphasized the importance of calibrating her communication style as a potential leader.

While confident in her candidacy, she noted a surprising lack of voter turnout among Tory members and is focused on encouraging participation.

Despite being favored by bookmakers, she expressed uncertainty about the outcome, suggesting it could be a close race with fellow contender Robert Jenrick.

Badenoch remains pragmatic about the political process, accepting the unpredictable nature of leadership elections.

The complete interview will be released on BBC Sounds at 6am on Tuesday.