Nearly half of UK Conservatives want Kemi Badenoch out before the next election.
A YouGov poll shows Robert Jenrick now ahead as members’ preferred party leader.
A new YouGov poll has revealed growing dissatisfaction among members of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, with nearly half calling for party leader Kemi Badenoch to be replaced before the next general election.
According to the survey, reported by Sky News on October 6, only 46 percent of Conservative members support Badenoch leading the party into the election, while 50 percent say she should step aside. The poll results indicate that former minister Robert Jenrick, who lost to Badenoch in last year’s leadership race, is now the preferred choice among party members.
The poll, conducted between September 26 and October 2 among 652 Tory members, found that 49 percent believe Badenoch will be removed before the election, compared with 47 percent who think she will remain in charge.
When asked who they would rather see as party leader, 46 percent picked Jenrick, while 39 percent chose Badenoch. Another 11 percent said neither, and 4 percent were undecided.
The findings come ahead of the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Manchester, which Badenoch hopes will strengthen her position amid internal division and public concern over the party’s electoral chances.
Despite the negative sentiment, the poll showed that 70 percent of members still have a favourable view of Badenoch, though Jenrick’s popularity is slightly higher at 73 percent.
The report also noted that while Badenoch has ruled out an electoral pact with Reform UK, most Tory members disagree, with 64 percent supporting an alliance between both parties to avoid splitting votes in key constituencies.
