Kemi Badenoch has said the Conservative government’s mistake was that it “talked right but governed left” as she launched her Tory leadership campaign in Westminster.

The shadow communities secretary, the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Rishi Sunak, said that “a government that tries to do everything will likely end up achieving nothing”.

Addressing a packed room at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, she said: “This was one of our mistakes.

“We talked right but governed left, sounding like Conservatives but acting like Labour.

Government should do fewer things, but what it does, it should do with brilliance

“Government should do fewer things, but what it does, it should do with brilliance.”

She said that Labour are only in Government because people no longer believed in the Conservatives.

“The British people are yearning for something better, and this Labour Government is not it,” she said.

She said Labour are “trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the public” about the state of the UK’s finances.

“They are already making worse mistakes than we did,” she said.

She outlined a list of her principles including personal responsibility, citizenship, equality under the law, the family, and truth.

MPs returned to Westminster on Monday after the summer break, with the candidates seeking support ahead of the first round of voting in the Tory leadership race on Wednesday.

The build-up to the ballot has already seen major speeches by candidates Tom Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel and Robert Jenrick in recent days.

Ms Badenoch also touted her education as an engineer, nodding to the choice of the Institution of Engineering and Technology as her launch venue.

She told the audience that politicians make promises “they cannot keep”.

“Things can be good, they can be fast, they can be cheap, they cannot be all three,” she said.

“Many politicians simply do not understand that.

“Politicians pretend that we can have everything. They make promises we cannot keep.”

She contrasted politicians with engineers, who “accept reality”.

“Engineers are honest, engineers get stuff done,” she said. “I am an engineer.”

Ms Badenoch also hit back at criticisms that she was more concerned with culture wars than with the bread and butter of opposition.

“I got on the dispatch box against Angela Rayner, that video has gone viral,” she said.

“That’s me in opposition. That is how I will be taking the fight to Keir Starmer.

“But people who say that all I did was culture wars were not paying attention. I was doing my job.

“I was the equalities minister, I had to look after very, very tricky issues like race and gender – things that everybody ran away from.

“I didn’t run away. And not only did I not run away, I defended people who needed help, and I dragged Labour onto our turf.”

Leadership rival James Cleverly will also make a campaign speech on Monday.

Mr Cleverly will say the Tories “must get our act together” to present solutions to “an unstable world, global migration and a crisis of confidence in capitalism”.

He will say: “That means being honest and realistic about the role of the state. About what it should and can do, and what it should not and cannot. The state should focus on doing fewer things very well, not everything badly.

“We accept that the state has a primary duty to protect its people and its borders. But Conservatives must be honest about the trade-offs in doing these things properly.”

He will argue for a “family-first society” rather than looking to the state as the first port of call when a problem arises.

“We must think and act like Conservatives again. Demonstrate that we understand the challenges our people and our country face, and provide the solutions to deliver a brighter future for our country.

“We accomplished much in Government, but our division and behaviour obscured the victories and compounded the mistakes.

“I will tackle the problems in front of us with Conservative solutions and make the UK the greatest power in Europe. Strong in defence of our people, our allies and our values on the international stage. With security and prosperity at home.”

The field of six candidates – which also includes Mel Stride – will be whittled down to four by the time of the Conservative conference at the end of the month.

After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for the Conservative members to choose between, with the result announced on November 2.