Tory leader under fire, Kemi Badenoch, faces fresh demands to resign. Former North Northamptonshire council leader Jason Smithers has openly called for her departure. Smithers blames Badenoch for the party’s disastrous local election performance.
The Conservatives lost 37 seats in North Northamptonshire. They lost another 35 seats in neighbouring West Northamptonshire. Reform UK seized control of both councils, ending two decades of Tory dominance.
“I can’t see how a leader can stay on after such terrible results,” said Smithers. He spoke to reporters at the Kettering vote count. Smithers, who chose not to seek re-election, now plans to confront Badenoch directly.
“I am on a call next week with the Tory leader under fire,” Smithers revealed. “I will tell her she should resign.” He added, “She has not helped at all during these elections.”
Smithers warned the Conservative Party risks collapse without stronger leadership. “We need a good Conservative who can rally the troops,” he urged. Smithers has led North Northamptonshire Council since its creation in 2021.
The shock election results rattled local Tory members. For years, Northamptonshire stood as the heart of the Conservative movement. It dominated Westminster seats and local councils alike.
Tory leader under fire, Badenoch, has responded by apologising to defeated councillors. She promised to rebuild the party into “a credible alternative to Labour.”
During the campaign, Badenoch visited Northamptonshire, where she criticised rising National Insurance rates. After the votes were counted, she travelled to Peterborough. There, she congratulated Paul Bristow, the new Conservative mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Despite calls for her resignation, Badenoch remains firm. “We have a big job to rebuild trust,” she said. “That is the job the party has given me.”
Tory leader under fire, Badenoch, insists she will lead efforts to restore public faith in the Conservatives. She serves as MP for North West Essex and remains determined to fight back.
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