Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch In Serious Problem
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch faces a tough challenge in convincing the British public she is a prime minister-in-waiting, as a new YouGov poll reveals deep skepticism about her leadership prospects.
As she approaches 100 days as Tory leader, the poll shows that only one in four Conservative voters (26%) believe she has what it takes to lead the country.
Meanwhile, among those who voted Tory in 2024, fewer than half (48%) see her as a credible future prime minister.
The situation is even more dire among the wider electorate, where just 14% of voters think she is fit for the top job.
Among crucial opposition voters—Labour, Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK supporters—around two-thirds dismiss Badenoch as a potential leader.
Trust also appears to be a major issue. Twice as many Britons (39%) consider her untrustworthy as those who see her as trustworthy (19%), while a similar proportion (39%) find her dislikable compared to 24% who view her favorably.
However, Badenoch does retain strong support within her own party. Among those who backed the Conservatives in the 2024 election, 56% believe she is doing a good job, with only 17% expressing dissatisfaction.
HuffPost reports that Kemi Badenoch has had a rough start as Conservative leader, with a poll last week showing the party slipping to third place behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and Labour.
However, a new YouGov poll suggests leadership may not be the issue. It found that two-thirds of all voters—and 59% of Conservative supporters—believe the party would be in the same situation no matter who was in charge.
Meanwhile, speculation about a possible deal between the Conservatives and Reform UK is growing.
A senior Tory frontbencher today refused to rule out the idea of an electoral pact to unite the right ahead of the next general election.
Speaking on Sky News, Alex Burghart, the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, repeatedly dodged questions from Trevor Phillips on whether the Conservatives would work with Reform UK.
Polling by JL Partners for The Sunday Times suggests Reform UK could win 102 seats in the next election—up from the five they currently hold.
The same poll indicates Labour would lose 211 seats but still emerge as the largest party with 200 MPs, narrowly ahead of the Conservatives on 190.
