Kemi Badenoch has stressed that simply changing leaders cannot “fix everything” for the struggling Conservative Party. Speaking after the devastating local election results, Badenoch underscored that deeper reforms are essential.
In a major interview, Badenoch promised the party would “come out fighting” despite losing 674 council seats and 16 local authorities. However, she warned against knee-jerk reactions, saying the problems run deeper than leadership changes. She highlighted that the Conservatives’ challenges cannot be solved after only six months of her leadership.
Badenoch stated, “Reform had a good night. We had a bad night.” She emphasized that past leadership changes had already led to a historic defeat. Therefore, she insisted again that deep reforms are essential for recovery.
She explained that protest energy surged during the local elections, yet her party was working on a “slow and steady” roadmap. Badenoch reassured the public that they aim to craft policies people genuinely want. She also made clear they would not make false promises to chase votes. Winning elections, she said, matters, but fixing the country requires a credible, long-term strategy.
When asked if Reform UK’s Nigel Farage could become prime minister, Badenoch acknowledged that “anything is feasible.” She cited Australia’s recent elections as proof. Still, she firmly stated her job was to block Farage from power. She argued that Farage lacks real solutions for the nation’s challenges.
Badenoch became Conservative leader last November after the party’s worst general election loss ever. Some senior Tories, like Jason Smithers, are now calling for her resignation. However, others, including Robert Jenrick, back her leadership. Jenrick praised Badenoch’s efforts, saying she is doing “an excellent job.”
The local election results shocked Conservatives. They lost councils not only to Reform UK but also to the Liberal Democrats. While the Tories lost hundreds of seats, they did manage to snatch the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoralty from Labour.
Reform UK, meanwhile, had a triumphant night, seizing control of ten councils and adding 677 councillors. Their gains reflect widespread voter frustration with the political establishment. The Liberal Democrats also celebrated, capturing 163 seats and three councils, including Shropshire, Oxfordshire, and Cambridgeshire.
Despite some gains, the Green Party fell short in key races, especially in the West of England mayoral contest. Co-leader Adrian Ramsay acknowledged their growth phase but stressed that deep reforms are essential for political change. Ramsay urged voters to join the Greens if they wanted a fresh political direction.
National vote projections revealed brutal numbers. The Conservatives would have taken just 15% of the vote, their worst showing. Labour matched its past low of 20%, while Reform UK surged to a projected 30%.
Health officials admitted Labour had heard voters’ frustrations. They asked the public for more time to deliver results. They highlighted unpopular but necessary funding measures that were helping reduce NHS waiting lists.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey celebrated his party’s strong performance, calling the Lib Dems the new “party of Middle England.” He warned voters about Farage’s plans to slash climate and special needs funding. Davey promised to challenge Reform UK wherever possible.
Across the political landscape, one theme echoed: deep reforms are essential to secure Britain’s political future. Whether from Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, or Greens, the call for substantial change dominated post-election discussions.
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