Conservative leader says party must not become a ‘repository of disenchantment’ but instead be about ‘offering hope’
Kemi Badenoch giving a speech in London (Image: Getty)
Membership of the Conservative Party has plummeted under Kemi Badenoch, figures have revealed. The Tories have 8,000 fewer members than they did when Mrs Badenoch won the party leadership in November.
At the time of the leadership election last year, the Tories had 131,000 members but this has since fallen to 123,000. The statistics, first reported by The Spectator and not denied by the party, are a further blow to Mrs Badenoch and come amid mounting questions about her future as party leader.
She has said that she cannot “spend all my time worrying about regicide” as she claimed she does not notice people “trying to create harm”. The Conservative leader said the public are “not yet ready to forgive” the Tory party more than a year on from the General Election.
Speaking to the Financial Times in the week she reshuffled her top team, Mrs Badenoch played down the idea of threats to her leadership.
“I can’t spend all my time worrying about regicide, I would lose my mind,” she said.
“I’m so thick-skinned to the point where I don’t even notice if people are trying to create harm.
“That’s extremely useful in this job.”
The Tories have consistently lagged behind Reform UK in the polls since the beginning of the year.
The party currently sits at just 17% in opinion polls, behind Reform on 28% and Labour on 22%.
Faltering Conservatives could seek to trigger a vote of confidence in their leader in November, once a grace period protecting her from such a move ends.
Asked about suggestions that Tory MPs were already plotting a coup, Mrs Badenoch said on Wednesday: “I would say that if nobody put their name to it, then I’m not paying any attention to it.”
Among the changes announced as part of Mrs Badenoch’s reshuffle this week was the return of Sir James Cleverly to the front bench as Shadow Housing Secretary.
Mrs Badenoch also said she wants to be Britain’s Javier Milei.
The Conservative leader also used the FT interview to compare herself to Argentina’s president, who has slashed state spending and regulations since being elected in 2023.
She described Mr Milei as “the template” as she tries to sharpen her party’s economic message.
When asked by the Financial Times whether Britain needs a “Milei” and whether she is such a politician, she replied: “Yes and yes.”
