Senior Conservative officials are reportedly devising a plan to replace Kemi Badenoch with Boris Johnson, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK), as the party leader.
The UK’s Sun newspaper published these details on Sunday.
This plot emerges after the Tories’ loss of “674 council seats” in the May 1 local elections, which amounts to “two-thirds of what the party was defending.”
Reform UK, a rival party, secured “677 council seats.”
One opinion poll positioned the Tories in “fourth place,” behind Reform, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats.
The Tories’ substantial loss occurred a week after the party’s poll ratings significantly dropped, leading to frustration among officials who are now developing a plan to remove Badenoch.
The polls indicated that Badenoch has “performed poorly” and “focused on the wrong issues” during her six months as party leader.
“We keep sharpening our knives and putting them back down again. Things are pretty grim,” The Sun quoted a Tory official as saying.
This unrest coincides with Reform UK’s increasing popularity, establishing the party as the new favored right-wing faction.
Earlier this month, a separate poll revealed that Johnson is the Conservative Party’s “best chance” of defeating Nigel Farage, Reform’s leader, in the upcoming elections.
Johnson became the UK prime minister in 2019, having previously served as the Mayor of London and foreign secretary.
He was compelled to resign in July 2022 following a series of scandals.
The former prime minister had considered a comeback after Liz Truss, his successor, was also forced to step down, but he was ultimately superseded by Rishi Sunak.
Under party rules, Badenoch’s position cannot be challenged until “12 months” after she assumed the Conservative leadership, meaning a challenge could potentially occur in November.
However, officials are exploring other alternatives, including widespread calls for resignation from members of the shadow cabinet.
Other potential candidates being considered as Badenoch’s replacement include Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, and Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary.
