LONDON – The United Kingdom Conservative Party is considering removing Kemi Badenoch as leader, just six months after she took over from Rishi Sunak.
More than two dozen Tory MPs and officials told Bloomberg they believe Badenoch cannot lead the party into the next general election, set for 2029. Support is quietly shifting toward right-wing shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick as a potential replacement.
The unrest comes amid dire poll numbers and frustration that Badenoch has failed to revive Tory fortunes, particularly as Nigel Farage’s Reform Party gains ground. Although Jenrick recently backed Badenoch in a GB News interview, insiders say momentum is building against her.
Local elections this Thursday are expected to deepen the crisis. Analysts predict a near-total wipeout for the Tories, following last year’s historic general election defeat. Current polling shows the party trailing Labour and even Reform, casting doubt on Badenoch’s leadership.
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Initially, party figures hoped to give Badenoch until 2026 to turn things around. But devastating losses could trigger an earlier leadership challenge. A senior Tory insider described her as being in the “political death zone,” with donors and MPs already plotting her future.
Badenoch’s tenure has been rocky. While she scored a legal victory on defining women by biological s+x, critics accuse her of focusing too much on culture war issues instead of tackling crime and immigration.
Her performances at Prime Minister’s Questions have also been seen as weak, giving Labour leader Keir Starmer easy wins.
With donor support evaporating and staff cuts looming, Badenoch’s leadership appears increasingly fragile – and her time at the top may soon run out.