Kemi Badenoch opens up about herself, as she seeks to steady Conservatives

LONDON: Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has offered a candid glimpse into her early political life, revealing that she first joined the Conservative Party for its social scene rather than ideology, as she continues to battle to rebuild her party after a period of deep instability.

A news by BBC said on Sunday that Badenoch revealed she was drawn to the Conservatives after university because it offered friendship, socialising and a sense of community at a time when many of her friends had dispersed abroad. She described it as something that initially seemed “fun”, a decision that would later shape both her political career and personal life – including meeting her husband through party connections.

The remarks come at a sensitive moment for the Conservatives. Badenoch has been leader since 2024, following the party’s worst-ever general election defeat, and now faces declining poll numbers, major local election losses and the recent defection of senior figures to Reform UK. Asked how she intends to stabilise the party, she suggested that losing members who were driven by personal ambition rather than collective goals could ultimately help clarify the party’s direction.

Since taking the leadership, Badenoch said her priority has been ensuring the Conservatives’ survival as a serious political force. Acknowledging that rebuilding trust will take time, she said her approach is rooted in long-term planning, even if that brings short-term political pain. “Quite often what works for the future doesn’t pay off immediately,” she said.

The interview also highlighted a more personal and reflective side of the Conservative leader. Badenoch used her music choices to reflect on loyalty, friendship and ambition, linking one song to her first, unsuccessful leadership bid in 2022, when she was encouraged to stand by a close group of allies who resigned alongside her during the revolt that eventually brought down Boris Johnson. She recalled being reassured that even failure would be shared – a sentiment she said still resonates in her leadership today.

Badenoch also spoke about identity and authenticity in politics, crediting her direct manner and humour for helping her win selection in Saffron Walden in 2017 despite having no prior ties to the area. Describing herself as an “Essex girl”, she said voters responded to her honesty rather than a carefully crafted political image.

Her reflections extended to family and upbringing. While her late father strongly supported her political ambitions, Badenoch said her mother was deeply sceptical of politics, viewing it as a self-serving profession. Badenoch said part of her motivation now is to challenge that perception by demonstrating that public life can be driven by integrity.

Born in London and raised partly in Nigeria and the United States, Badenoch described her childhood as shaped by British culture, despite living abroad, and spoke about formative experiences that toughened her outlook – including boarding school life she likened to “Lord of the Flies”.

At a time when her leadership is under pressure, the interview offered a broader narrative: not just of a party leader managing decline, but of a politician presenting herself as resilient, self-aware and intent on redefining what modern Conservatism, and political leadership, can look like.