Kemi Badenoch lost her faith in God over the horrific case of Austrian sex offender Josef Fritzl, the Tory leader has revealed.
In an interview with the BBC, Mrs Badenoch said she was 'never that religious' while growing up but 'believed in God' and would define herself as a 'Christian apologist'.
But this changed in 2008 when she read reports that Fritzl had imprisoned and repeatedly raped his daughter, Elisabeth, in his basement for 24 years.
Mrs Badenoch, whose grandfather was a Methodist minister, told Amol Rajan: 'I couldn't stop reading this story. I read how she prayed every day to be rescued.
'And I thought, I was praying for all sorts of stupid things and was getting my prayers answered. I was praying for good grades and for the bus to come on time.
