Kemi Badenoch Tory leader
Kemi Badenoch has acknowledged she has room to improve as Conservative leader, affirming her commitment to getting better and embracing self-criticism. Her comments come in response to recent scrutiny of her performances at Prime Minister’s Questions, with shadow chancellor Mel Stride suggesting she would improve over time.
In a BBC interview, Badenoch stated, “You don’t want people to be the very best they’re going to be on day one,” emphasizing the importance of growth in leadership. She added that each week brings new lessons, and improvement is expected as part of the role.
Badenoch’s remarks followed a speech in which she launched a new commission to examine whether the UK should withdraw from certain international treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to strengthen efforts to deport foreign criminals and reduce illegal migration.
Since the Conservatives’ crushing defeat in last summer’s general election, public support for the party has declined further. Reform UK has overtaken the Tories in several polls, and the party suffered additional losses in recent local elections.
Badenoch has faced criticism for her perceived weak showings against Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in Parliament and for taking time to clarify her stances on major policy issues. However, she maintains that steady improvement is part of the learning process in political leadership.
She admitted the Conservative Party had made significant mistakes and had “hit rock bottom” electorally but expressed determination to lead the party through renewal. “It’s not going to happen overnight,” she said, while pledging to lead them into the next general election, expected in four years.
Stride, earlier this week, attempted to distance the party from Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget. The £45 billion tax cut package destabilized the markets and contributed to Truss’s resignation just 45 days into her premiership.
When asked about Truss’s role in the party going forward, Badenoch laughed and asked rhetorically if Truss was even still a party member. She emphasized that her focus was not on individuals but on restoring national stability.
Truss, who lost her seat in the last election, remains a Conservative member according to a spokesperson. However, Badenoch avoided direct commentary on whether the former PM should remain in the party.
In her speech, Badenoch outlined the objectives of the newly formed commission, led by Lord Wolfson, which will examine the feasibility and implications of withdrawing from international agreements like the ECHR to facilitate tighter immigration control.
She criticized the ECHR as an obstacle to the UK’s democratic decisions, particularly in deporting illegal migrants and foreign criminals. She argued that it had shifted from a shield protecting rights to a sword undermining national sovereignty.
While she indicated the UK would likely need to leave the ECHR, Badenoch stopped short of committing to that outcome. She insisted that any such move would only follow a thorough evaluation and a clearly defined plan.
The commission’s findings are expected at the Conservative Party’s annual conference in the autumn. If the review suggests that leaving the ECHR isn’t necessary to achieve her goals, Badenoch said she would accept that and focus on alternative solutions.
She noted that her problem isn’t with the ECHR itself, but with the barriers it may present to achieving effective immigration control. Her position has shifted since last year, when she argued leaving the treaty wasn’t a “silver bullet” for immigration reform.
Labour quickly criticized Badenoch’s initiative, calling it a “desperate attempt” to appease hardliners like Robert Jenrick and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage. A Labour spokesperson questioned why the Conservatives hadn’t implemented these changes while in power.
