A Bounce for Badenoch: Is Tory Leader Finally Cutting Through?
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader who took over a party reeling from its worst general election defeat, has made a surprising comeback. Despite initial doubts and concerns about her leadership strategy and handling of key issues, she appears to be gaining traction with her own side and even the public.
The turning point came at the Tory party's annual conference, where Badenoch delivered a policy-heavy speech that won over some of her critics. Her confident performance helped settle nerves among activists and MPs, boosting morale and giving her confidence that has been evident in recent weeks. The most notable example was her brutal response to Labour's shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, at the budget.
While overall Tory poll ratings remain low, Badenoch's approval rating is now nearly level with Nigel Farage's, the leader of Reform UK, who is a major threat to the Conservative party. Her recent performance in prime minister's questions has also been praised by some MPs, who say she has worked out how to do opposition effectively.
However, the challenge ahead remains significant. Many Tory MPs still have concerns about her leadership and policy platform, which has led to confusion at times. The shadow cabinet is trying to fill the vacuum left by the party's lack of a clear strategy on issues like migration.
Despite these challenges, some Tory MPs now believe that Badenoch is safe from a leadership challenge. However, others caution that this bounce may not be sustainable in the long term. The odds are still stacked against her, with the May local elections likely to make her position even less secure.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if Badenoch can build on her recent momentum and deliver a convincing strategy for the Conservative party. For now, she appears to have rediscovered her fighting spirit and is starting to give Labour's leader, Keir Starmer, some trouble.
The key question is whether this bounce will translate into real policy wins and improved poll ratings. If not, it may be too little, too late to save Badenoch's leadership from the axe. One thing is certain, however: the Conservative party needs a winning strategy if they are to regain the trust of voters and reclaim their place in power.
The recent surge in Tory support has been fueled by a combination of factors, including the Labour government's handling of the economy and the public's perception of Starmer as overly patronizing. While Badenoch still faces significant challenges, her renewed confidence and willingness to engage with MPs and activists may be the key to unlocking a more positive future for the party.
For now, it remains to be seen if this bounce will prove sustainable. As one Tory MP noted, "It's still not clear if we have a strategic plan to take on Reform." Only time will tell if Badenoch can build on her recent momentum and deliver a convincing strategy that wins over voters and cements her place as leader of the Conservative party.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader who took over a party reeling from its worst general election defeat, has made a surprising comeback. Despite initial doubts and concerns about her leadership strategy and handling of key issues, she appears to be gaining traction with her own side and even the public.
The turning point came at the Tory party's annual conference, where Badenoch delivered a policy-heavy speech that won over some of her critics. Her confident performance helped settle nerves among activists and MPs, boosting morale and giving her confidence that has been evident in recent weeks. The most notable example was her brutal response to Labour's shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, at the budget.
While overall Tory poll ratings remain low, Badenoch's approval rating is now nearly level with Nigel Farage's, the leader of Reform UK, who is a major threat to the Conservative party. Her recent performance in prime minister's questions has also been praised by some MPs, who say she has worked out how to do opposition effectively.
However, the challenge ahead remains significant. Many Tory MPs still have concerns about her leadership and policy platform, which has led to confusion at times. The shadow cabinet is trying to fill the vacuum left by the party's lack of a clear strategy on issues like migration.
Despite these challenges, some Tory MPs now believe that Badenoch is safe from a leadership challenge. However, others caution that this bounce may not be sustainable in the long term. The odds are still stacked against her, with the May local elections likely to make her position even less secure.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if Badenoch can build on her recent momentum and deliver a convincing strategy for the Conservative party. For now, she appears to have rediscovered her fighting spirit and is starting to give Labour's leader, Keir Starmer, some trouble.
The key question is whether this bounce will translate into real policy wins and improved poll ratings. If not, it may be too little, too late to save Badenoch's leadership from the axe. One thing is certain, however: the Conservative party needs a winning strategy if they are to regain the trust of voters and reclaim their place in power.
The recent surge in Tory support has been fueled by a combination of factors, including the Labour government's handling of the economy and the public's perception of Starmer as overly patronizing. While Badenoch still faces significant challenges, her renewed confidence and willingness to engage with MPs and activists may be the key to unlocking a more positive future for the party.
For now, it remains to be seen if this bounce will prove sustainable. As one Tory MP noted, "It's still not clear if we have a strategic plan to take on Reform." Only time will tell if Badenoch can build on her recent momentum and deliver a convincing strategy that wins over voters and cements her place as leader of the Conservative party.
I'm seriously getting mixed signals from Kemi Badenoch right now! On one hand, she's making some serious waves at Tory conference and even winning over some of her critics 
. That speech was fire (sorry not sorry for the pun) and it sounds like she's finally found her footing as leader. But on the other hand, I'm still worried that this bounce might be just a flash in the pan 
. The fact that Tory poll ratings are still low is a major red flag 
.
. I mean, we've seen this kind of momentum before and it always ends in disaster 
. The shadow cabinet needs to get its act together and come up with a solid strategy on issues like migration... pronto! 
. It's about time someone gave him a run for his money 
. The question is, can she sustain this momentum and actually deliver some real policy wins? We'll just have to wait and see 
.
i mean, those jabs at reeves were savage 
and some mps are actually praising her for doing opposition right 
but yeah, the real test is coming in the local elections 
if tory polls don't start moving upwards, it's hard to see badenoch as anything other than a temporary fix 
. i think its awesome that shes giving labour some trouble though 
. fingers crossed she can build on this momentum & take the conservatives in a new direction 
And what about all the MPs who are still on the fence about her leadership? This momentum thing might be fleeting.
We'll just have to wait and see if this "rediscovered fighting spirit" of hers actually does some good. 
. I mean, some Tory MPs are still giving her a hard time and the Labour party's got Starmer on their side 
. But at the same time, Badenoch does seem more confident than before, and her responses to Labour's challenges have been on point 
. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the May local elections 
. We need a solid strategy not just for votes, but for the future of this country too 
. I hope she can deliver on that promise without alienating her own MPs 
. The fact that some Tory MPs are starting to doubt each other is worrying 
. It's gonna be a long time before we know if this bounce is real or just a flash in the pan 
. For now, I'm just keeping an eye on things and seeing how this momentum plays out 
.
.
she always had some good policies but never really had the guts to sell them lol she was so robotic during the election and it showed... now that she's gotten her act together, maybe we can actually see some real change come out of the conservative party 
. It's about time someone gave Labour's Rachel Reeves a run for her money 
#TeamKemi #ToryReform #PoliticsMatters
, but it looks like she's found a way to connect with people and her message is finally resonating with some of them 
. Still, can't say I'm entirely convinced yet - I think there's still a lot of work to be done to make her policies more clear and coherent 
...
She's finally getting some recognition after taking over as Tory leader and it's amazing to see her confidence level go up 
Her response to Rachel Reeves at the budget was EVERYTHING 
. It was pretty impressive, if you ask me! Some people are saying she needs a clear strategy, but I think that's being unfair – she's been to conferences and met with activists, she's definitely doing something right 
. She's definitely shown some confidence, and if she keeps pushing forward like this, I reckon we'll see some real progress soon 
. Bring on the local elections! 
(Badenoch's surprising comeback)
(Tory MPs praising Badenoch's PMQs performance)
. Was it really that impressive, or was it just a bunch of soundbites designed to make her look tough on TV? And what about these claims that she's finally figured out how to do opposition effectively? I'd love to see some evidence for that.
and idk how this will play out in the local elections 