Overview
- Marking her anniversary, Kemi Badenoch said the past year has been about rebuilding the Conservative Party, its principles and its plan for Britain.
- Senior Conservative sources warn she has until the May local and devolved elections to show progress or risk a leadership challenge.
- National support has slipped from roughly 24% when she took over to around 16–17%, as Reform UK gains and high-profile figures such as Jake Berry, David Jones and MP Danny Kruger defect.
- A new YouGov snapshot reports only 12% of Britons see her as a prime minister in waiting and 23% think she is doing a good job, though Conservative members are more positive.
- Her conference pivot included pledges to scrap stamp duty on main homes and to back leaving the ECHR, yet polling and council by-elections show limited traction, and an internal memo highlights gaps in local association organisation.