UK Conservatives Face Leadership Crisis as Badenoch's Future Wavers

Kemi Badenoch's leadership of the UK Conservative Party is under intense scrutiny as the party faces the prospect of significant losses in upcoming local elections, with growing internal calls for her replacement by Robert Jenrick. Jenrick has fueled speculation of a leadership bid by sending supportive letters to local candidates and openly discussing the need to unite the right, suggesting a coalition of Conservative and Reform UK voters to prevent Labour from winning. Leaked recordings of Jenrick's remarks prompted opposition parties to urge Badenoch to sack him, but her spokesperson denied any rift and insisted there would be no formal electoral pact with Reform UK, clarifying that Jenrick's comments referred to uniting voters, not parties. Despite these assurances, many Conservative MPs and officials continue to doubt Badenoch's ability to lead the party effectively, citing her lack of policy delivery and inconsistent parliamentary performances. The ongoing speculation has led to discussions about potential successors, with Jenrick and former foreign secretary Sir James Cleverly mentioned as possible contenders. Meanwhile, polling suggests that Reform UK is outperforming the Conservatives, further intensifying pressure on Badenoch's leadership.