UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warns of tough local polls as Reform UK gains ground, threatening major parties amid rising criticism of her leadership.
As reported by The Independent, Kemi Badenoch faces criticism for admitting likely defeat in local elections.
What did Kemi Badenoch say about the Tories’ prospects in the upcoming local elections?
The Tory leader has warned party supporters to be prepared for a challenging election outcome when ballots are cast on May 1. She is guiding the party into next week’s local elections, with the challenge of surpassing the high standard set by Boris Johnson during his popularity peak in 2021.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Badenoch acknowledged her first electoral test as Conservative leader would be tough, stating,
“We lost last year in a historic defeat – these elections are going to be very difficult for Conservatives.”
She said,
“Two-thirds of the seats four years ago we won – there’s no way we are going to be able to do that again. Protest is in the air – protest parties are doing well at the moment.
Ms Badenoch stated,
“It’s really important that we take time to get things right – rebuild trust with the public and have a credible offer. I’m not saying everything we did was correct – that’s why we’ve seen support for other parties.”
She added,
“I think the biggest thing people will notice is that if you picked up the papers this time last year, you would have been reading about Tory rows and Tory infighting. All of that is gone.”
What did the Liberal Democrats say about Kemi Badenoch ahead of local elections?
The Liberal Democrats accused Ms. Badenoch of “throwing in the towel before a single vote has been counted in next week’s local elections”.
Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said,
“The Conservative Party doesn’t have any answers on the big issues facing the country, because their fingerprints of failure are all over them.”
She stated,
“The Conservatives trashed the NHS, blew a hole in the public finances and allowed water companies to commit an environmental catastrophe with sewage dumping.”
Ms Cooper added,
“It’s up to the public to decide what issues they will be voting on at these elections, and many will be voting to deliver another message to the Conservatives on the mess in which they’ve left the country and local services.”
During the interview, she defended her tenure as Conservative leader, highlighting that she has put an end to party infighting, even with approval ratings in a dire state.
How will Reform UK affect the local elections?
The local elections are expected to deliver challenging results, with Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK pulling voters from both the left and right.
With growing dissatisfaction over the country’s condition, Mr Farage heads into next Thursday’s local elections leading the polls. He hopes to establish Reform UK as a major threat to Sir Keir Starmer and Ms. Badenoch.
What did the More in Common survey reveal about Kemi Badenoch?
The More in Common survey, conducted ahead of the May 1 local elections, revealed that Reform UK is looking to make significant progress.
According to the survey, just 5% of respondents believed Ms Badenoch can reverse the Conservatives’ declining fortunes and win the election, while 10% are in favour of a different Tory leader becoming prime minister.
When asked who they thought would be the next prime minister, 13% of the public named the Reform leader, the same percentage who believe Sir Keir Starmer will retain leadership in four years.
What did Luke Tryl say about public uncertainty in British politics?
Luke Tryl, the executive director of More in Common UK stated,
“This research underscores just how uncertain the public feels about the direction of British politics.”
He said,
“Only 13 per cent of Britons are confident Keir Starmer will remain in post after the next election, while a striking 41 per cent say they simply don’t know what the next elected government will look like.”
Mr Tryl added,
“In fact, the public rate Nigel Farage’s chances of becoming prime minister as highly as those of the current PM, with Reform voters particularly convinced their man will be walking into Downing Street. “It’s yet another sign of the Reform leader’s ability to cast a political shadow far larger than his party’s presence in Westminster.”