Johnson's potential rescue of the Conservatives: Poll reveals only Johnson as the leader capable of beating Farage's Reform, sparking speculation about a plot to dethrone Badenoch following election defeat
In the current political climate, it looks like the Conservatives are scrambling to find a way to take down Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. According to a recent poll by More in Common, the party could only defeat Reform UK if they manage to bring back Boris Johnson, who was ousted as Prime Minister in 2022.
The poll suggests that Johnson is the only party leader under whom the Tories poll higher than their opponents on the right. It's no surprise that this finding has sparked rumors of a plot to oust current leader Kemi Badenoch, who has been struggling to regain the party's lost momentum after a dismal performance in the local elections last week.
Both Badenoch and her main rival, Robert Jenrick, would reportedly lose to Farage if they were to run against him. It seems that Jenrick is even less popular with voters than Badenoch, based on the numbers from the poll.
Interestingly, both Conservative and Reform supporters seem to agree that a Johnson comeback would be good for the party. About 60% of Tory voters and half of those backing Reform believe that Johnson's return would be beneficial for the Conservatives. One-third of Labour supporters share this sentiment.
Backbenchers are said to be meeting this week to discuss Badenoch's future, but some have been branded 'deluded' for considering toppling the leader so soon. Former Conservative leader and minister, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, stated that swapping leaders so quickly would make the party a laughing stock.
Some MPs reportedly feel that the party is going 'backwards' under Badenoch's leadership. One anonymous MP told MailOnline that while some are 'unnerved and concerned' and want to change leader, most backbenchers are aware of the deeper issues affecting the party.
The Conservatives are currently languishing in third place behind Labour and Reform in most opinion polls. The latter party took a big chunk out of the Tories' council base in last week's election.
Badenoch remains confident that she will still be Conservative leader at the next general election. She has only been in charge for six months, having taken over following the party's disastrous performance in the general election last year. The party had three leaders within two years prior to her assuming the role.
With the Tories losing more than 600 councilors in last week's election and all 15 of the councils they controlled going into the election, both Badenoch and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are under pressure to reverse their parties' fortunes.
Sources:
- More in Common Poll
- The Telegraph
- The Guardian
- The poll by More in Common indicates that Nigel Farage's Reform UK party could defeat the Conservatives if Boris Johnson, who was ousted as Prime Minister in 2022, is not brought back as leader.
- The poll suggests that Johnson is the only party leader under whom the Tories poll higher than their opponents on the right.
- Both Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick would reportedly lose to Farage if they were to run against him, according to the poll findings.
- About 60% of Tory voters and half of those backing Reform believe that Johnson's return would be beneficial for the Conservatives, according to the poll.
- Migration, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice, and accidents could potentially affect the Conservatives' performance as they continue to struggle in opinion polls.
- Fires and car-accidents, while not directly related to politics, could also impact the public's perception of the Tories' ability to manage the country effectively.
- In an effort to reverse their fortunes, both Badenoch and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are under pressure to address the deep-seated issues affecting their parties.
