Poll seeks Kemi Badenoch’s replacement before next election

A recent YouGov poll seeks replacement of Conservative Party members in the United Kingdom over Kemi Badenoch’s leadership.

Reported by Sky News on October 6, the survey shows 50 percent of members believe Badenoch should not lead the party into the next general election, while 46 percent support her continuing as leader.

Poll seeks Kemi Badenoch’s replacement before next election

The results also highlight Robert Jenrick, who lost to Badenoch in last year’s leadership contest, as the clear favourite among members. When asked who they would prefer as Conservative leader, 46 percent chose Jenrick, compared with 39 percent for Badenoch, 11 percent said neither, and 4 percent were undecided.

Members remain divided over Badenoch’s prospects. Forty-nine percent think she will be out before the election, while 47 percent believe she will remain in position. The Tory leader will hope her leadership is strengthened at this week’s party conference in Manchester.

The poll of 652 Conservative members, conducted between September 26 and October 2, also measured approval ratings. Seventy percent of members hold a favourable view of Badenoch, with 29 percent unfavourable, while Jenrick enjoys 73 percent favourable and 20 percent unfavourable ratings.

On policy matters, Badenoch has rejected any electoral pact with Reform UK for the next election. However, 64 percent of Tory members support such an arrangement to avoid standing against each other in target seats, with 31 percent opposed.

The survey further suggests that Jenrick would comfortably beat Boris Johnson, James Cleverly, and Priti Patel in a leadership contest, while Badenoch would narrowly outperform Johnson in a head-to-head scenario.