Kemi Badenoch declined to express any admiration for Nigel Farage as 20 Tory councillors switched to Reform UK on the same day. Despite facing questions about her leadership and a lackluster atmosphere at the conference in Manchester, the struggling Tory leader characterized the event as positive, although many seats remained empty during major speeches. Badenoch faced a series of challenging interviews where she evaded queries about resigning as Tory leader after local elections and at one point pretended not to hear the questions.
During an interview with Sky News, Badenoch asserted that her proudest moment as leader was the party’s “unity,” despite the notable departure of multiple MPs and councillors under her leadership. When asked by Beth Rigby if she admired Nigel Farage as a politician, Badenoch responded by questioning the basis of the admiration and later shifted the focus to why she wasn’t being asked about Keir Starmer or Ed Davey instead.
Regarding the defections to Reform UK, Badenoch faced scrutiny on whether she would step down if the Tories regress in the upcoming elections. She deflected the question initially, claiming not to hear it, and later remarked that she was not at the conference to discuss future plans.
Moreover, Badenoch expressed her pride in maintaining party unity, disregarding polls indicating doubts among half of Tory members about her leadership capabilities. In another interview with the BBC, she dismissed the defections as a mere “stunt,” comparing them to past defections to the Labour Party. Additionally, a video clip captured Badenoch singing “Sweet Caroline” with young activists.
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