Barely six months after her election as leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch faces growing internal pressure as party members weigh options to replace her ahead of the next general election.
According to reports, an increasing number of Conservative lawmakers are backing Robert Jenrick, the right-wing shadow justice secretary, as a potential successor.
Speaking anonymously to Bloomberg, more than two dozen MPs and officials expressed dissatisfaction with Badenoch’s leadership, citing concerns about her ability to steer the party through upcoming electoral challenges.
The Conservative Party is bracing for significant losses in local elections across England on Thursday.
Badenoch, who assumed leadership on November 2, is seen by many as unable to reverse the party’s declining fortunes, with Nigel Farage’s Reform Party steadily gaining ground.
A spokesman for Badenoch declined to comment on the growing unrest. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Jenrick referenced his recent interview with GB News, where he stated, “I think people should give her a break,” signaling public support for Badenoch despite the behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
The party’s dire poll ratings and frustration over Badenoch’s focus on divisive issues like transgender rights and net zero policies have fueled the internal revolt.
Critics believe these priorities have alienated voters concerned with crime, immigration, and economic stability.
Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, captured the bleak mood: “It’s going to be total wipe-out for the Conservatives. To go backwards from your worst performance in 200 years, when you’re supposedly the natural party of government, in your first electoral test is a total and unmitigated disaster.”
In recent months, the Conservatives have fallen behind Labour and the Reform Party by over five percentage points in Bloomberg’s composite poll.
Previously, party insiders assumed Badenoch would have until the summer of 2026 to stabilize support. However, worsening conditions could hasten a leadership challenge as early as this year.
One senior Tory figure commented that Badenoch might already be in the “political death zone,” noting that conversations among party donors and MPs now center on her immediate future.
Badenoch took over from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after the party’s catastrophic defeat last July, which saw Labour’s Keir Starmer lead his party to a historic landslide victory.
Scarlett Maguire, founder of Merlin Strategy, said, “Kemi is not only struggling to expand the Conservative coalition but is currently only just above water with those loyalists who stood by the party in 2024.
Many Conservatives think they hit rock bottom in 2024, but the truth is that the Conservatives may still have further to fall.”
Some of Badenoch’s allies argue that rebuilding the party will take time, noting the scale of last year’s defeat and lingering voter anger.
She notched a recent win when a court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex, an issue she has championed.
Still, such victories remain rare as discontent within party headquarters grows, with donors considering pulling support and staff facing possible redundancies.
There are mounting concerns over her political judgment and style.
Her performances at prime minister’s questions have drawn criticism, with MPs lamenting missed opportunities to challenge Starmer effectively.
In one instance, Starmer mocked her after she cited a national petition, retorting that the electorate had already delivered a “massive” petition against the Conservatives at the polls.
Another February exchange backfired when Badenoch highlighted government failings that ultimately traced back to her own party’s time in power.
