Kemi Badenoch has said that she is “wary” of saying she wants to become prime minister because of the “sacrifice” the job would entail for her and her family.
The Conservative leadership candidate, who is considered to be the favourite in the race, expressed caution about the role that “changes your life forever” and “changes the life of your family”.
Her comments come just days before the Conservatives announce if she or Robert Jenrick will succeed Rishi Sunak as the next party leader.
Asked if she wanted to become prime minister, she told Sky News: “I think it’s not an award, it’s not like winning a competition. It’s actually a very serious job that requires a lot of sacrifice.
“It changes your life forever. You can’t just go back and work in a normal job afterwards. It changes the life of your family.
“So I’m very, very wary of saying, ‘Well, I want to be prime minister. I want to be in charge’.”
‘Well aware of how life could change’
When asked about the possible sacrifices that being prime minister would entail, Mrs Badenoch told Sky News: “Well I’ve thought about them very carefully.
“And also with my family as well. So I’m very well aware of how life could change, for the worse in many circumstances. But I also worry even more about the direction of the country.”
She added: “I think that people need to understand what is the service that you’re providing, rather than how can we help you fulfil a personal ambition. For me, the ambition is about the country, not myself.”
Her remarks are likely to be seized on by her critics as evidence that she lacks the commitment to see the Conservatives through to the next election.
They follow a row between her and Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope, who suggested she should not become leader because she is “too preoccupied with her children”.
The veteran MP implied earlier this month that Mrs Badenoch was not suited to the role because “you can’t spend all your time with your family as at the same time being leader of the Opposition”.
He said he was concerned by the amount of time that she spent with her children when it is a “demanding job” leading the party that holds the Government to account.
‘Juggling it all’
The shadow housing secretary has three children and has said her ability to manage her responsibilities as a mother and a politician proves she is adept at “juggling it all”.
Elsewhere in the interview, she suggested that she would offer all of the other leadership candidates jobs in her shadow cabinet.
Asked if she would offer Mr Jenrick a job, she said: “All of the six candidates should have a job in the shadow cabinet.
“Whether they want to do what I think they should do is a different matter.”
She declined to comment further about what jobs she may offer her rivals, including Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride, Dame Priti Patel and James Cleverly.
“Measuring the curtains and deciding what jobs I’m going to give other people is not me. Other candidates may be promising jobs and saying they’ll appoint this person or that person.
“I have not done that and I have not offered any job to anybody.”