A poll of Tory faithful by YouGov found just 46% think Kemi Badenoch should be Conservative leader when the country next goes to the polls and 50% think she shouldn’t
Disgruntled Tories are running out of patience with Kemi Badenoch, with half of members saying she should not lead the party into the next election.
A poll of Tory faithful by YouGov found just 46% think she should be at the helm when Britain next goes to the polls, while 50% think she should not.
Members are split over whether she will make it that far. Some 49% think she’ll be out before the next election, and 47% think she will still be in post, according to the survey for Sky News.
Ms Badenoch defeated Robert Jenrick in the last leadership contest but the poll found he is now more popular with members, by 46% to 39%.
As Reform UK steals a march on the Tories, some 64% of members said there should be an electoral pact with Nigel Farage’s party.
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And nearly half (46%) backed a full merger with Reform UK.
Conservative members overwhelmingly oppose a coalition with Labour by 93% to 6%.
But 73% would welcome a coalition with Reform, with only 25% against.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was a hit with more than half of Tories (53%), while 45% said they had an unfavourable opinion of him.
Ms Badenoch has repeatedly rejected the idea of a pact with Reform, citing Mr Farage’s previous comments about wanting to destroy the Tory party.
But shadow minister Andrew Rosindell suggested the Conservatives should get into bed with Reform UK to prevent another Labour government.
“I would much rather see people of like mind on the right of centre to work together,” he told GB News.
“The good news is, on policy initiatives, we’re already aligning. So, ECHR, human rights, immigration, it sounds like actually we’re pretty much following a similar fit.
“I think there’s enough in common between Reform and Conservative, and I would include the unionists in Northern Ireland, there are three right-of-centre groupings, for goodness sake. Let’s think about what’s best for our country.”
It comes as the Tories continued their desperate bid for relevance at a gloomy party conference in Manchester.
Delegates have been heard muttering about the dismal atmosphere, as supporters stayed away and even the usual protesters didn’t bother to turn up.
:: YouGov surveyed 652 Conservative members for Sky News between 26 September and 2 October.
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