Kemi Badenoch avoided commenting on her admiration for Nigel Farage as 20 Tory councillors switched allegiance to Reform UK. Despite facing criticism about her leadership and the subdued ambiance at the conference in Manchester, Badenoch described it as a “good conference” with numerous empty seats during key speeches. She faced a series of challenging interviews where she dodged questions about potential resignation and displayed confusion before reiterating the same responses.
During an interview with Sky News, Badenoch highlighted party unity as her proudest achievement, despite the resignations of several MPs and councillors under her leadership. When asked by Beth Rigby if she admired Nigel Farage as a politician, Badenoch responded with uncertainty and redirected the conversation to Keir Starmer and Ed Davey.
Badenoch expressed disinterest in Nigel Farage and emphasized her focus on the Conservative Party, criticizing the media’s fixation on Farage. The Tory leader faced further inquiries about potential resignation if the Tories face setbacks in the upcoming elections.
Downplaying concerns about her leadership, Badenoch dismissed polls indicating dissatisfaction among Tory members and defended her efforts to maintain party unity. In a separate BBC interview, she labeled the defections to Reform UK as a “stunt” and compared them to previous defections to Labour.
In a lighter moment, a video captured Badenoch singing “Sweet Caroline” with young activists, adding a touch of levity to the political atmosphere.
