Kemi
Picnews
A recent YouGov poll shows that half of Conservative Party members in the UK believe Kemi Badenoch should not lead the party into the next general election, scheduled for 2029. The poll, which surveyed 652 Conservative members, revealed a near-even split, with 50% opposing her leadership and 46% supporting her. Badenoch’s leadership has been under scrutiny since the party’s poor performance in the May 2025 local elections, where they secured only 15% of the vote, their worst result since 1995.
The party members’ dissatisfaction with Badenoch’s leadership stems from concerns that she has prioritized divisive cultural issues over core economic concerns like the cost of living and public service funding. Some party members feel that she has not effectively addressed the party’s image and has instead alienated swing voters in marginal constituencies.
Despite this, Badenoch retains a majority of favorable personal ratings, with 70% of respondents viewing her positively. However, 37% of members believe she is performing poorly as leader, highlighting an erosion of confidence even among her base. Potential successors mentioned include Robert Jenrick, the right-wing shadow justice secretary, Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, and James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary ¹.
Badenoch’s allies argue that she inherited an impossible political situation following years of Tory infighting, Brexit aftershocks, and economic stagnation. They insist she remains the party’s best hope for long-term renewal and ideological clarity.
The poll results indicate a weakening grip on the party’s grassroots, with Dr. Eleanor McBride, a political science lecturer at the University of London, noting that once internal confidence slips below 50%, it becomes a matter of when — not if — a leadership challenge will emerge.
