'I hadn't realised just how much the public needed to see who I was,' Kemi Badenoch says. 'I had assumed that because I had been in Cabinet, the country knew me. It took some time to work out that, actually, people don't know who you are and they don't know what you believe in. Having to reintroduce myself [as leader] from scratch took some time.'
A week before the Conservative conference, I met Badenoch at a rented office in Lambeth, south London, where she had posed for photographs with staff from Cleanology, surrounded by blue Henry vacuum cleaners, high-tech mops and Helen Whately, described at the event as shadow secretary of state for work and pensions. The appearance accompanied a Tory announcement proposing limits on long-term unemployed claimants spending benefits on alcohol and gambling.
'When I first became [party] leader, people were saying that it should have been Robert [Jenrick],' says Badenoch
Now nearing two years as Conservative leader, Badenoch, 46, travels to Birmingham buoyed by renewed momentum. After the party's disastrous local election results a year earlier and internal criticism about her visibility, recent polls show Reform UK slipping following a summer of scandal while the Conservatives have regained ground. A YouGov survey last week recorded Reform falling from first to third in projected seats compared with this time last year and the Conservatives rising to second. Earlier this summer YouGov found that 38% of voters thought Badenoch was doing a good job — up 22 percentage points year-on-year.
Strategies and Signals
Badenoch has kept a steady stream of headline policies in the news: a pledge to reach 3% of GDP on defence spending by 2030, plans to restrict social housing access for some foreign nationals, and talk of leaving the European Court of Human Rights. She has also reshaped her front bench to reflect a younger, more market-minded leadership team: in September she replaced Mel Stride with Andrew Griffith as shadow chancellor, named Tom Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary and elevated Alex Burghart to deputy leader.
Badenoch's confidence has taken centre stage in the Commons, most notably when criticising Wes Streeting
Supporters say that the reshuffle — and clearer strategic messaging — has helped to present a unified, refreshed Conservative party after months of infighting. 'She has created a front-bench team that is more in her image,' says Michael Gove. 'In crude football terms, she has been active in the transfer window and acquired a new squad.' The first major test for that squad will be party conference.
Performance and Public Profile
One of the most visible changes has been Badenoch's refinement as a performer in Parliament. Early critics said her speeches were too forensic and long-winded; she has since learned to sharpen interventions and deliver punchy lines suited to the era of short social clips. Those moments have won her new social-media attention and some unlikely fans — clips of Commons exchanges have attracted comments from celebrities and influencers online.
Michael Gove is a long-term supporter of Badenoch, and speaks highly of her 'courage and determination' - Zuma Press/Alamy Stock Photo
'A lot of it is practising,' Badenoch says of her improved PMQs. 'I started off very forensic... Nobody understands. You've got to keep it short.' — Kemi Badenoch
Anecdotes — such as a recent photograph of her sitting barefoot under a table — and unexpected appearances at events like London Fashion Week have also softened her press image, helping voters see a more accessible side of the leader.
Criticism, Setbacks And Recovery
Her rise has not been unchallenged. In May 2025 the Conservatives were mauled in local elections, losing 674 council seats and control of 15 councils amid a surge for Reform. In the aftermath, senior figures and commentators called for her resignation. An Ipsos poll in June 2025 recorded just 11% satisfaction with her leadership and 60% dissatisfaction at that time. In September 2025 Danny Kruger defected to Reform, declaring 'The Conservative Party is over', and Robert Jenrick's later sacking amid reports of a planned defection added to turbulence.
Badenoch, pictured with her husband, Hamish, has strong principles when it comes to politics and the importance of family - Eddie Mulholland
Badenoch acknowledges those setbacks but stresses resilience. 'I'm not deterred by criticism,' she told me. 'If it's good criticism, you learn from it. If it's bad, you grow a thicker skin.' Her supporters — including long-time Tory figures such as Francis Maude and Michael Gove, and thinkers like Niall Ferguson — argue that Badenoch brings a clear idea-driven conservatism to the fore: smaller state, free markets and personal responsibility. Some commentators have even revived Thatcher comparisons, though others call those parallels premature.
What Lies Ahead
Obstacles remain. Andy Burnham has injected new energy into Labour; Reform retains stubborn support above 20% and recently received a £72m funding pledge from backers Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo. The Conservatives must reclaim voters tempted by Reform while reassuring centrist Tories and potential Lib Dem defectors that the party can govern responsibly. As Ben Page notes, many voters still see the Tories as 'out of date.'
Badenoch is positioning herself for the long haul. With three years to the next general election and a clearer public profile, her immediate challenge is translating personal momentum into a broader party recovery: to hold a coalition of voters together across the centre and right while convincing the country that the Conservatives can offer practical solutions to the problems left by the current government.
Key Facts: Badenoch defeated Robert Jenrick in the November 2024 leadership contest; the Conservatives lost heavily in May 2025 local elections; Ipsos recorded low satisfaction for Badenoch in June 2025; Danny Kruger defected to Reform in September 2025; Reform retains >20% support and recently secured a major funding pledge.
